About
"Nothing is absolute. Everything changes, everything moves, everything revolves, everything flies and goes away." -Frida Kahlo
My Story..
Growing up I was surrounded by creativity. My great aunt's surreal paintings hung glamorously on the walls of my grandmother's home as well as my own. I was forever opening new art supplies sets for Christmas and getting drawing lessons from my uncle. It is these little things in my childhood that sparked my passion for art today. A passion that has continued to grow throughout my lifetime. Though I loved to doodle the faces out of my mom's hair magazines and sketch little things that I saw, my real growth as an artist started in a 9th grade art class. We started with a stool and then a shoe and then hands. My furious commitment to each project caught the attention of my art teacher who began giving me opportunity to go beyond the projects. She guided me and helped me to explore and expand my horizons in art. I began honing my skills and learning new techniques that I would later be able to use in bigger projects.
As I moved up in the art classes I became more involved. I joined the National Art Honor Society and wore myself out trying to be apart of anything and everything. By my Senior year I became the President of the club which was both amazing and exhausting. I always knew I loved art and that I wanted it to be apart of the rest of my life, but as I grew older I realized it is not always the most promising "career path". As college approached it was all people ever wanted to talk about...my future. I became discouraged. How could I make a good living for myself and still pursue my passions? It seemed unrealistic. However, through the art club and with the help of my art teachers my art world began to open up. Opportunities to paint murals at local restaurants or sketch images for writers came flooding my way. I remember the first project that showed me that maybe an art career was possible...
My teacher approached a group of us artists with an exciting new opportunity. Our town was commissioning a public art installation series in the windows of local shops. The town decided to extend the invitation to the high school students. Although we could not participate in the competition part of the installations we still seized the opportunity. What our group created was the "Postivitree," a 6 foot tall black and white tree with beautiful multicolored leaves that blew from it's branches across the salon shop window we had been assigned. It was an incredible feat for us and at the reception many working artists in the community approached us with compliments and encouragement. It was the first time that I realized that art could be a big part of my future. From there we created a second installation in the spring which placed second among all the other windows! I was blown away that up against professional artists my group, just 4 high school artist, could place second. It may sound like a small accomplishment, but to us it meant the world. Our hard work had paid off. It continued to pay off with yet another public art project where we painted a large fiberglass tiger to be displayed in the town. I began to see what it was like to work with clients, requirements and those dreadful deadlines. I loved every stressful moment of it.
Although I still not be able to say what exactly my life look like in a few short years I have begun to explore the sea of possibilities. I have chosen a wonderful college where I know I will not be able to grow further as an artist, but figure out that whole "future" thing.
As I moved up in the art classes I became more involved. I joined the National Art Honor Society and wore myself out trying to be apart of anything and everything. By my Senior year I became the President of the club which was both amazing and exhausting. I always knew I loved art and that I wanted it to be apart of the rest of my life, but as I grew older I realized it is not always the most promising "career path". As college approached it was all people ever wanted to talk about...my future. I became discouraged. How could I make a good living for myself and still pursue my passions? It seemed unrealistic. However, through the art club and with the help of my art teachers my art world began to open up. Opportunities to paint murals at local restaurants or sketch images for writers came flooding my way. I remember the first project that showed me that maybe an art career was possible...
My teacher approached a group of us artists with an exciting new opportunity. Our town was commissioning a public art installation series in the windows of local shops. The town decided to extend the invitation to the high school students. Although we could not participate in the competition part of the installations we still seized the opportunity. What our group created was the "Postivitree," a 6 foot tall black and white tree with beautiful multicolored leaves that blew from it's branches across the salon shop window we had been assigned. It was an incredible feat for us and at the reception many working artists in the community approached us with compliments and encouragement. It was the first time that I realized that art could be a big part of my future. From there we created a second installation in the spring which placed second among all the other windows! I was blown away that up against professional artists my group, just 4 high school artist, could place second. It may sound like a small accomplishment, but to us it meant the world. Our hard work had paid off. It continued to pay off with yet another public art project where we painted a large fiberglass tiger to be displayed in the town. I began to see what it was like to work with clients, requirements and those dreadful deadlines. I loved every stressful moment of it.
Although I still not be able to say what exactly my life look like in a few short years I have begun to explore the sea of possibilities. I have chosen a wonderful college where I know I will not be able to grow further as an artist, but figure out that whole "future" thing.
My Inspirations...
Every work of art I create has a story. I discovered long ago that adding a personal touch to my work helped me develop a deeper connection to the piece. I want it to succeed and I want to work on it because I know it has a message or meaning that needed to be shared. I find inspiration in just about anything. Perhaps it is a bird's melody in the morning, or my surreal dreams at night. It could be a vibrant shade of pink found in a tulip's petals or the line of an upbeat song. I am inspired by people and architecture and magic. A scene may come into my mind after walking through town or even a grocery store and I have to write it down. I call my sketchbook "the window to the soul" or at least the window to my soul. It includes everything that inspires me...poetry, words from a stranger, ideas, pictures, business cards of artists, memories and of course countless sketches. It is my mind worked out on paper. If I'm getting "artist's block" I flip through it's pages. If I can't find anything there I go outdoors or sit in my room and take it all in. I constantly surround myself by things that inspire me --- colors, trinkets and mementos, family pictures, antiques and nature.
Nature and the organic world is a huge component of my work. When I moved to North Carolina I fell in love with the mountains and I often find inspiration in them. I feel as if so much of our time has been consumed by technology and we miss out on the amazing world around us. I believe people need to unplug and get outside. There is solace in nature. We live in a processed, plastic world and it is important we return back to our natural roots. Back to a time when we used our hands to create rather than constantly communicate, a time when we reused instead of throwing away. We live in a day of instant gratification and "bigger and better," yet everything we need God gave us. I try to find that new purpose in old things. I save everything from interesting clothing tags to empty paint tubes. You never know what you might need!
Growing up I thought everything had to be perfect. I was always inspired by the works of Salvador Dali and my aunt whose work was highly realistic. I thought to make good art you had to make "perfect" and realistic art. However, after taking an art history course in high school my eyes were opened to a whole world of art that was far from realistic yet so powerful. "The Large Blue Horses" by Franz Marc was one of those pieces that changed me. Three mountain-like horses gracefully curled and rolled in rich blue in a beautiful warm, abstract landscape. Marc didn't care about the right color of a horse, or even the right shape. He painted what he felt and what HE saw, not what he was "supposed" to see. I began to study him and other Expressionists and Impressionists. "Starry Night" had become so cliche until I actually stopped to look at the brush strokes and the color in each windy swirl. Picasso's work had seemed so simple until I realized everything that was behind it. Their art wasn't about impressing others but about expressing themselves. It is an attitude I have since tried to adopt in my work.
Nature and the organic world is a huge component of my work. When I moved to North Carolina I fell in love with the mountains and I often find inspiration in them. I feel as if so much of our time has been consumed by technology and we miss out on the amazing world around us. I believe people need to unplug and get outside. There is solace in nature. We live in a processed, plastic world and it is important we return back to our natural roots. Back to a time when we used our hands to create rather than constantly communicate, a time when we reused instead of throwing away. We live in a day of instant gratification and "bigger and better," yet everything we need God gave us. I try to find that new purpose in old things. I save everything from interesting clothing tags to empty paint tubes. You never know what you might need!
Growing up I thought everything had to be perfect. I was always inspired by the works of Salvador Dali and my aunt whose work was highly realistic. I thought to make good art you had to make "perfect" and realistic art. However, after taking an art history course in high school my eyes were opened to a whole world of art that was far from realistic yet so powerful. "The Large Blue Horses" by Franz Marc was one of those pieces that changed me. Three mountain-like horses gracefully curled and rolled in rich blue in a beautiful warm, abstract landscape. Marc didn't care about the right color of a horse, or even the right shape. He painted what he felt and what HE saw, not what he was "supposed" to see. I began to study him and other Expressionists and Impressionists. "Starry Night" had become so cliche until I actually stopped to look at the brush strokes and the color in each windy swirl. Picasso's work had seemed so simple until I realized everything that was behind it. Their art wasn't about impressing others but about expressing themselves. It is an attitude I have since tried to adopt in my work.
My Goals...
My goals are simple: Create, Travel and Help. If I can wrap those three up into something someday i'll be set.
My Experience...
At seventeen I've had limited experience in art. However every experience makes me stronger and grows me further as a true artist. With every new project I discover something new about myself and who I am as an artist. Four years ago I started a journey in taking my interest in art and making it a passion. I am so grateful to have been able to attend a high school with four amazing art teachers who have given me numerous opportunities to become a better artist and to get my work out there. Even through the small community projects I have been fortunate enough to participate in I have begun networking and getting connected with the arts community in my town. I hope that in college I can continue to receive these kinds of opportunities that will make my dreams a reality.