For as long as I can remember, I have been practicing art. As a toddler, the only way my mother could lure me to the bath was to put me in our white porcelain tub with an assortment of tempera paint. I painted elaborate murals inside of the empty bathtub that my mom would mono print on white construction paper, tack to the wall, then surround me with warm soapy water and shampoo. When I was older, I moved on to cartooning and pen work. A friend and I created an entire comic series around a character we developed. As a teen, I am drawing and painting from life, whether it be a posing model or a landscape at the local lake. At first I used only pens and pencils, but now I photograph, design, create ceramics and paint. In the past year I have taken art more seriously. I find mentors. I take classes. I Interned at The Chronicle Newspaper and attended the California State Summer School for the Arts at CalArts. These recent big steps have seriously influenced my artistic goals. Before attending the CSSSA summer program, I had always thought that being around so many talented artists would be intimidating, that I might lose the identity I have developed in High School as, “The Artist”. After experiencing an art college, however, I realized how inspiring it was, and how much I could learn from my peers when they were serious art students. I found that there was still diversity among artists, and that each person was unique and curious in their own way. Living in such a creative environment made it easy for me to make friends. I felt like I could genuinely express myself without worrying about the outcome. I have always been interested in the lives of artists and what current events have influenced their artistic decisions, whether its a world problem, a local problem, or a personal problem. Currently, the main conscious thing influencing my pieces are my personal events, my traveling, the people I meet and current events. What I have started doing, which I really love, is trying to use the style of classic painters to portray my thoughts. My artistic goals currently are to attend art college and expand my talent and education, eventually becoming an illustrator with a BFA and an MFA. I sometimes deliberate about whether I should pursue fine art or explore more practical art-related job possibilities. Currently, everyday, after school, I finish an acrylic painting. I hope to find my own style and continue to grow as a painter. That is my main artistic goal. I think I am getting there. People are starting to recognize my work easily even if it is unsigned.
As I look around my home I realize that cultural influences surround me. The paintings on the walls of my house are a reflection of years of history, politics, culture, and religion that have effected me. I sit beneath a Russian icon, an oil painting if St. Nicholas on wood, the sole remembrance that Aga, my Russian great-grandmother, saved as she fled the Bolsheviks. Susi Stiassni my Czech grandmother who fled from the Nazis during World War II, escaped with many Flemish paintings her family had collected in Europe. Without even realizing their influence on me, I walk past these beautiful masterpieces everyday. My culture influenced me to pursue art, but it has also influenced my subject matter. The main subject matter that appears in most of my work is the human anatomy, whether it’s a face, hand, leg, or the entire figure. I am inspired by mood and emotion, a reflection of the interactions I have with my friends, families, interests, and obligations. I often visit the SF MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) and the Legion of Honor Museum and leave with new ideas, stimulated and driven. Since I have begun to take art more seriously, the relationship with my grandmother, who is an artist, has gotten much closer. We discuss new artists that interest us and occasionally visit shows and galleries when she is feeling well enough. Art has really helped me through high school. I have trouble in certain aspects of education. One of my main problems is procrastination. I include art in almost all of my academic projects to make them more fun and interesting. This causes me to jump into my schoolwork the day after it is assigned. My recent poetry journal had accompanying artwork representing the theme and emotion of the poems. I entitled the journal “Sketches”, since poems, in my opinion, are literary sketches. Art has gotten me over the hump in more ways than I can name. I am almost sure that if I had been brought up without all the artistic and cultural influences that surround me that, nonetheless I would have pursued artistic goals. They are in my nature. I am so thankful that my parents and family have raised me in such a stimulating cultural environment. Now it’s time to continue creating that environment in the real world. I hope that this will be on your creative campus.
Personal Statement
For as long as I can remember, I have been practicing art. As a toddler, the only way my mother could lure me to the bath was to put me in our white porcelain tub with an assortment of tempera paint. I painted elaborate murals inside of the empty bathtub that my mom would mono print on white construction paper, tack to the wall, then surround me with warm soapy water and shampoo. When I was older, I moved on to cartooning and pen work. A friend and I created an entire comic series around a character we developed. As a teen, I am drawing and painting from life, whether it be a posing model or a landscape at the local lake. At first I used only pens and pencils, but now I photograph, design, create ceramics and paint.
In the past year I have taken art more seriously. I find mentors. I take classes. I Interned at The Chronicle Newspaper and attended the California State Summer School for the Arts at CalArts. These recent big steps have seriously influenced my artistic goals. Before attending the CSSSA summer program, I had always thought that being around so many talented artists would be intimidating, that I might lose the identity I have developed in High School as, “The Artist”. After experiencing an art college, however, I realized how inspiring it was, and how much I could learn from my peers when they were serious art students. I found that there was still diversity among artists, and that each person was unique and curious in their own way. Living in such a creative environment made it easy for me to make friends. I felt like I could genuinely express myself without worrying about the outcome.
I have always been interested in the lives of artists and what current events have influenced their artistic decisions, whether its a world problem, a local problem, or a personal problem. Currently, the main conscious thing influencing my pieces are my personal events, my traveling, the people I meet and current events. What I have started doing, which I really love, is trying to use the style of classic painters to portray my thoughts.
My artistic goals currently are to attend art college and expand my talent and education, eventually becoming an illustrator with a BFA and an MFA. I sometimes deliberate about whether I should pursue fine art or explore more practical art-related job possibilities. Currently, everyday, after school, I finish an acrylic painting. I hope to find my own style and continue to grow as a painter. That is my main artistic goal. I think I am getting there. People are starting to recognize my work easily even if it is unsigned.
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My culture influenced me to pursue art, but it has also influenced my subject matter. The main subject matter that appears in most of my work is the human anatomy, whether it’s a face, hand, leg, or the entire figure. I am inspired by mood and emotion, a reflection of the interactions I have with my friends, families, interests, and obligations. I often visit the SF MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) and the Legion of Honor Museum and leave with new ideas, stimulated and driven. Since I have begun to take art more seriously, the relationship with my grandmother, who is an artist, has gotten much closer. We discuss new artists that interest us and occasionally visit shows and galleries when she is feeling well enough.
Art has really helped me through high school. I have trouble in certain aspects of education. One of my main problems is procrastination. I include art in almost all of my academic projects to make them more fun and interesting. This causes me to jump into my schoolwork the day after it is assigned. My recent poetry journal had accompanying artwork representing the theme and emotion of the poems. I entitled the journal “Sketches”, since poems, in my opinion, are literary sketches. Art has gotten me over the hump in more ways than I can name.
I am almost sure that if I had been brought up without all the artistic and cultural influences that surround me that, nonetheless I would have pursued artistic goals. They are in my nature. I am so thankful that my parents and family have raised me in such a stimulating cultural environment. Now it’s time to continue creating that environment in the real world. I hope that this will be on your creative campus.
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