Art is an amazing tool used by many to help express themselves and spread messages. It can come in many forms including painting, sculpture, music, cinema, photography, architecture, and much more. One of the most common forms of art we see around Brentwood High School is paintings.
Whether they are hung up or displayed in the passageways, we all cannot help but notice them. Although the different pieces get compliments and praise, we do not always see the creative and talented artists behind them.
One of the many incredible artists at Brentwood High School is Saskia Georges. Georges is a junior, and her preferred medium to work with is oil paint. She first started her interest in oil painting when she created a piece for a camp named USDAN.
She had to make a piece so she could submit it and apply for a scholarship. Georges ended up getting the scholarship for $4,000.
Georges stated that her imagination is what motivates her to produce ideas, and her creativity pushes her to see what she can transform from her mind to the canvas. George’s favorite piece she has created is a watercolor painting that she made at the USDAN camp.
She really liked how she took her time and was exposed to watercolor since she does not really use that medium. Overall, she is proud how it came out and how it was something she did for her own enjoyment out of school.
When asked if she had any advice to new or old artists, she replied, “just because you think your art is not good, you should not give up. A lot of people are like ‘oh I can’t draw that’ but honestly, I don’t like to say that because you can just test yourself to your best and try to do whatever you can do. Just don’t give up and keep trying. Art is for everyone.”
Another skilled artist at Brentwood High School is senior Alex Artola. Her preferred choice of medium is watercolor because the blending comes so easily and naturally. Artola has been interested in art ever since she was little.
Artola expressed the importance of art by stating that art can be represented in so many ways; it always varies depending on the artist. It is not just something that is set in stone.
Her favorite piece she has created is a piece she made in her sophomore year. It was a self-portrait, but in a cartoon version that captivated a sense of the 60s and was black and white.
What motivates Artola to create art is that every time she makes something new, she always improves, and it is a process.
“It feels like I’m creating a whole new other universe and nobody else can control it,” Artola said. “It’s only me, I’m creating it.” Some of her favorite artists include Vincent Van Gogh and Leonardo DaVinci.
When asked if she had any advice for artists, Artola stated, “I heard this from my art teacher, but you’ve just got to keep doing it. Keep on practicing as long as you are having fun and it’s not a chore.”
Additionally, senior Angelina Montoya also creates impeccable art for Brentwood High School. Her favorite medium to work with is pencil illustration. Montoya said she has loved art ever since elementary school. It was something she had always been praised for, and she drifted towards it as a kid and a couple of years ago she realized that it was something she wanted to pursue.
Art is important to Montoya because having the freedom to be creative is a huge thing that lets you express yourself in ways that can be difficult through speech or writing. Her favorite piece she has created is her final, which was meant to be a psychedelic-like painting that conveys a sense of a dream.
It is her favorite because of its composition and the outcomes of the colors she made. What motivates Montoya to create art is stress because it serves as an outlet for her.
When asked if there was anything she wanted to say to artists, Montoya replied, “take it slow. I know this is something a lot of artists here practice; I struggle a lot with drawing anatomy, but I see myself drawing more people more often. It comes easier with patience and practice.”
Lastly, junior artist Sara Ramirez floods the school with her astonishing work. Her favorite mediums to work with are both watercolor and gouache. Ramirez has been into art her whole life, beginning her journey as early as her toddler years.
Ramirez stated that art is one of the easiest ways of communication, which is why it is so important to her. One of her favorite pieces she has created is a free drawing she created with pen last year. It includes many diverse types of people across a long paper.
This piece is her favorite because it showed her how easy drawing people comes to her.
Something that motivates Ramirez to create art is simply just getting better at it. Her favorite artist is Joseph Christian Leyendecker. This is her favorite artist because he would draw the same guy in many of his works, and it was a way to secretly express his love and coming out to whoever saw his art, since he was queer. He would oftentimes paint men looking at each other, reflecting his sense love and attraction to his art viewers.
When asked if she had any advice for artists, Ramirez stated, “just start. Art does not have to be good to be good art, you just have to start and practice until you are happy with your work.”
Noticing artists around the school is a particularly important thing. By taking time to know more about each individual, we not only make the artist feel seen, but we also unify more as a school. Observing art can tell us so much, but getting to know the faces and unique personalities behind it tells us so much more.
