This is an 18x24 (I think) charcoal self-portrait that takes off of the artist Durer's use of symbols for his life and identity in his own self-portraits. Some of the symbols I chose are pretty overt in their meanings, but others are symbols in a more abstract sense.

The figure (myself) climbing the mountain cliff is meant mainly to represent a climb in life towards an eventual success and my future in general, suggesting that I'm still progressing at this point in my life. The light that radiates from where the hand grasps the rock suggests that hope and success, as does the eagle flying in the background, capable of ascending the heights along with me. The circuit board suggests the role that technology plays in my life, touching every aspect of it and only becoming more important, and the oar suggests the rowing team I'm currently on that, at this point in the climb, is a really big part of who I am. The graduation cap and tassel are a note of how graduation is pretty much the next step in my life. The ants crawling around symbolize perseverance, which I have to have to make it anywhere in crew or the tough curriculum in school, and the world triad symbol in the irises suggests creativity - I am, after all, an artist. The river in the background suggests both the way the past flows away and also how water is a significant element in my life, since my involvement in sports as well as my job are all directly associated with water, whether it be swimming or rowing or life-guarding. The ring band is a symbol of commitment, closely tied with the ants in that without such a quality I would never survive academically or athletically.

I might have missed something, but I think that's it.