Tell us a little bit about your journey as a young and developing artist.

I started making art during quarantine. I began with character design, which is still one of my favorite things to do. I focused on drawing figures as a way to process emotions. In 2022 I started classes here and at school in order to improve faster. I wanted to work on developing the skills that I needed to become a real artist. In addition to One River classes I am taking HS Excel Art and AP Art to gather as many skills as I can to build a portfolio. But I am not just building art skills, I am also trying to build skills for myself for the future. 

Which has been your favorite project to work on at One River and why?

One of my favorite projects is a work in progress in my Portfolio class. I am working on an angel painting that is encouraging me to build on less developed skills as a painter. This artwork will incorporate multimedia dimensions such as crochet and sculpting, forcing me to try new things. 

Describe One River in 3 words and tell us why.

Community, acceptance, friendships. Everyone here is knit together, from the students who take classes to the staff who work here, everyone is like a family. I currently spend 4 days a week, counting in the days I work as a TA here, and everyone is so nice and amazing and accepting of everyone else. This type of community allows people to feel comfortable to make the art they want to make without feeling like they will be judged for it. 

What would you tell people who’ve never dabbled in art making are the real benefits to trying it?

Self expression, a way to express emotions, an outlet for communication. Even as hobby art is a great way to put how you feel on a piece of paper. 

What do you enjoy most or feel is helpful about taking more than 1 class at One River?

I have always taken two classes here – one studio and one digital – both of which have helped me to learn and develop skills in similar and different ways. One of my favorite things about taking two classes is how working in various mediums allows us more time to do art. It forces me to set aside time in the day to make art, and by taking two classes I have all the tools I need to create any type of art I like.