Synesthetes are taking over the world. At least, 4% of it. For now.

Oh, by the way, me. That 14 year old is me.

Hello to all. My name is Valerinelle. I’m a 14 year old artist from the United States, and I am driven by sounds; specifically, synesthesia.

Let’s go through what synesthesia is, because it is not a common term. According to Siri Carpenter of apa.org:

“The phenomenon–its name derives from the Greek, meaning ‘to perceive together’–comes in many varieties. Some synesthetes hear, smell, taste or feel pain in color. Others taste shapes, and still others perceive written digits, letters and words in color. Some, who possess what researchers call ‘conceptual synesthesia,’ see abstract concepts, such as units of time or mathematical operations, as shapes projected either internally or in the space around them. And many synesthetes experience more than one form of the condition.”

I experience several forms of the condition, but the most prominent is chromesthesia, which allows me to hear song in the form of shapes and colors.

I have experienced chromesthesia all my life but I was unable to put my finger on it until very recently. I was starting to build my brand around making an illustration by hearing a song, but I found myself unable to just put it into a couple of words. That is, until a good friend of mine who also has synesthesia was like, “Hey broski, that there is definitely synesthesia.”

My art is slightly more complex than your average synesthetic painting, because I actually build an entire scene around a song. Instead of blotches of color, I take the mood and tone of a song’s color and create it into a conceptual environment. Whether the song has a sinister and spiky performance or a floaty and soft feel, I gotchu.

I’m very early in my art journey, but I am determined to make my mark. Most of my illustrations include a human figure in them, so I believe it is my personal duty to make sure everyone is represented. EVERYONE is part of the song. We are one unity of song, a buzz that will go on to kingdom come and beyond. I feel that anyone has the right to be shown in my paintings. Whether it’s someone with disabilities, different skin tones, or different body types- you deserve the love of the world.

Below are some of my works! Each piece takes roughly 3 hours to complete. All of them are done digitally.

(You can check out my other works on my instagram, @valerinelle.)

More info: boredpanda.com

Depiction of Gooey by Glass Animals

Depiction of Mad All The Time by Waterparks

Depiction of Overdose by Grandson

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