Well, to begin with, I love your style. I've browsed your gallery, and I appreciate your use of color in all of your work, especially this one. Working with such strong, warm colors can sometimes come off as overwhelming, but you managed to blend them harmoniously, somehow softening them without losing emphasis. (If that makes sense.)

I think the next noteworthy aspect of the piece is the background and setting. I'm a fan of the vague outlines of buildings. They're intimidating, and, if I'm correct, they're where the girl has come from. In that context, I've always viewed buildings of that shape as a symbol of tycoons and tyrants, which can be many things in this girl's life - only you know what those inner demons are. Still, with the fiery colors and abundance of swords staked in the ground, I can assume this girl has come to terms with her problems, all of them, and this last sword has a poetic finality to it. Having been down a similar path (we all have been), I can say it rang true and touched me. I don't like much art, but I'm a fan of yours - this piece actually moved me to tears, which, for someone who doesn't love art, is huge. You captured the emotion, the turmoil of a situation like this in so many ways; and the best part is how subtle the area around the subject is. It's a simple blend of color here, the way a piece of shrapnel is in focus there, that really draws your eye and heart to the girl, whose face isn't visible.

Which brings me to the title of this piece. All art can be interpreted in an infinite number of ways. "Innocence" to me means she is fighting to hold on to it, symbolized by the teddy bear she is protecting. It looks like after all of this fighting and strife, she is desperately clinging to her "Rosebud," as it were.

As a final comment, I must say I enjoyed the way the swords look like crosses. I don't know if you are religious (I am not entirely), but it's very powerful.

This is officially my favorite piece of art (ever), and I look forward to critiquing the rest of your work before Spring Break is over!

I'm certain this is how all of us feel at some point... we try damn hard to be good to others and treat everybody with respect but quickly realise that for all our efforts, the world is doomed to go to hell anyway, from the actions of the majority. And all because of that evil, yet almighty, dollar bill...

Okay, enough yammering, let's criticise this thing, shall we?

Vision: It seems to me you're presenting the world going straight to hell, all while a nameless woman completely loses her mind and stabs the culprit: money and its incredibly strong pull.

In presenting that vision, I don't think you could've done any better. I absolutely think you nailed the concept here, with the flames consuming the city and the tiny dollar bills and coins (by comparison) that eventually causes these massive problems.

From this, the quote "Money is the root of all evil." has been defined perfectly here. It also makes you think, how could something so insignificant be the cause to all our problems? Whatever the answer, perfect grades, all the way.

Originality: What defines the concept of innocence? The simple dictionary definition is to be "free from evil and sin", and under that pretence, the woman stabbing the money with blazing fury, trying desperately to maintain that pure innocence, is extremely well done.

It actually surprises me how one could have such strong feelings against simple currency, but it cannot be denied that some absolutely love it and some definitely hate it... With all that, I gotta hand out the full five stars.

Technique: Undoubtedly, the artwork was very skillfully created, and it seems likely you've studied the idea of innocence very extensively. The many forms it can take are numerous, and you've found the one that many of us try so hard to forget about, yet constantly come to that conclusion. Why does money have to cause people to do such evil, despicable things, and yet, be absolutely necessary for our survival? You've created a visual treat for everyone here, and for that, another five stars.

Impact: It's a foregone conclusion at this point, the impact that this artwork has on mine and everybody else's mind is astounding to say the least. I can absolutely relate to how money is evil and I can also elicit strong feelings for that notion. Not only that, but it also makes me think about the concept on a more deeper level and it blows my mind as well. Five, five, five stars... forget all doubt.

Overall, this piece is, judging by the grades I've given, perfect in my eyes, and deserves all the accolades and attention it can get. I absolutely hope you will continue to provide more thought-provoking and emotionally strong artwork like this... It's truly a gift that you have.