“Can’t Concentrate”

Martha Valenta - 2023 - 13” x 13”
acrylic on canvas in raw maple frame.

Like “No Focus,” in "Can’t Concentrate," I express the struggle to focus that is innate to my ADHD experience. Using bright yellow and pink acrylic mops, I created thick, branching, coral-shaped lines that dance dynamically across the canvas.

The lines and vibrant colors make it difficult for the viewer to concentrate on any one element. This represents how my thoughts often splinter in different directions when I try to concentrate on a single task or idea. While the coral shapes suggest new neural pathways forming, the overall sense of motion and density conveys the restlessness of an ADHD mind endlessly branching from thought to thought.

I intentionally left some of the canvas coated only in gesso and framed “Can’t Concentrate” in raw maple wood. This combination reflects the strength that comes from facing such daily struggles, while hinting at the raw honesty of ADHD.