Christopher McVicar
Professor Cacoilo
Studio Research II
11 September 2025
“Post 1/News Article/Raising Children in the Instant Gratification Era.”
Parenting plays an important role in shaping who we are. Our identity, sense of self, and internal values are directly influenced by how we were raised and how we perceive our parents. For my BFA project, I will explore this connection through two large-scale portrait paintings of my Mother and Father, displayed side by side. These works will utilize an overlay technique of photographic references to evoke an ethereal, layered quality, symbolizing the natural yet deeply rooted impact of parenting. Intertwined with imagery from my immediate environment in Jersey City, the paintings will act as visual metaphors; demonstrating how our surroundings, worldview, and emotional landscapes are shaped by parental presence or absence. By monumentalizing these works, I invite viewers to reflect on their own familial relationships and the unspoken ways in which their parents continue to shape their lives.
In the current age of instant gratification, many young people are increasingly losing the ability to tolerate frustration and develop essential life skills like resilience, patience, and emotional regulation. This decline has made the role of parenting more critical than ever. Whether present or absent, parents are often our first teachers of delayed gratification, a skill that is key to achieving long-term well-being and navigating the complexities of life. Understanding and appreciating family dynamics in this era can reveal the gap between what is immediately satisfying and what is meaningfully fulfilling. By highlighting the link between parental influence and the cultivation of internal strength, this project seeks to emphasize that parenting doesn’t just shape who we are, but also how we thrive, and build sustainable lives in an increasingly demanding world.
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