At a young age, I began experimenting with art. I began with crayons, pencils, markers, stickers, and of course, glitter glue. Then, when I went to elementary school, where I learned about cutouts, watercolor, and modeling clay. I also enjoyed going to my grandparent's house where my sister and I would have coloring contests and have my grandparents decide who was the winner. I did most of my artwork and experimentation there. In middle school, famous artists like Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, and Frida Kahlo and different types of art like pointillism and abstract expressionism were explored. I worked with clay, paint, aluminum foil, wires, and many other objects, which expanded the art world even further for me. Below is a photo of me in fifth or sixth grade, where I worked with symbols, pointillism, and bright colors of paint. It was an example of aboriginal dot art.
When art classes became optional, I knew I wanted to take them, so I enrolled in the introductory art class, where I learned even more, and was challenged further. I realized that art really was a process, and it couldn't just be slapped on a piece of paper for me. It was important that it held intricate beauty or a detailed design. I loved to see how I could take a blank slate and turn it into something inspiring or captivating. Below, I created the piece in the center with a focus on unity. All of the animals join together as one in a smooth, rhythmic flow. I spent many hours on my projects so that they would look the way I wanted them to. I knew that art was often a long process, so I would often come in before or after school to work on my art projects.
College came around the corner, and I had decided to pursue a graphic design career. I was enrolled in more art classes, where I had been challenged further yet. I have refined my art skills more, and learned about new media like gouache, vinyl charcoal, and micron pens, and I was able to experiment with materials I hadn't worked with in a long while, like watercolor and chalk pastel. I have learned more about my artistic interests, and I can identify my strengths when it comes to my skills. It's amazing to look back through my years of art to see where I have come. I have branched out and continued to try new things. If I look up my art online, it amazes me that some of my artwork pops up for people to view. There is still improvement to make as I continue this lifelong art journey.
