The painting Sticks and Stones represents themes of vulnerability, silence, and resilience. The diamond sewn onto the mouth of the character signifies the tension between the value of expression and the suppression of speech. While the diamond symbolizes strength and worth, its placement on the closed mouth reflects the restraint or forced silence, implying that the character’s voice is valuable but restricted. The 3D-printed plastic sticks attached to the painting serve as symbols of barriers or external constraints. Their artificial nature contrasts with the organic self-portrait, highlighting a conflict between the character’s true identity and outside pressures or limitations. These plastic sticks evoke the phrase "sticks and stones," representing challenges, insults, or hardships that the subject endures without breaking, reinforcing the theme of resilience. Overall, the combination of precious and synthetic materials reflects a duality between inner strength and external limitations, between the natural self and the artificial obstacles that restrict personal expression. The painting communicates a struggle for identity and self-expression amidst the forces that silence or control.