YEAR 11 ART EXHIBITION BOOK | 2022 - 2023

A lot of my works have not been very influenced by specific artists, I tend to come up with my ideas for paintings and drawings in my head and the times when I am influenced I find my inspiration from small artists off social media and in some small art galleries.

My art also shows growth and the way that my art has changed through the past two years which I believe is what makes all my art cohesive.

When I'm painting I like to do things more precisely and also do things like portraits which are my strong point. I also like to try new things that are out of my comfort zone which show some variation in my work.

Lekha Yerneni Clairmont House

Since I was young, I loved colour whether that be in clothes, paint or objects. Through my childhood I was keen, as it was something that mesmerised me. This made me sit beside my mom, watching her, while she drew and painted. And trust me she was, and is a better artist than I could ever be.

As I grew up I realised that there was much more you could do with art and so much more to achieve. From this, I started sketching and free hand drawing and this made me more aware that art worked as a way to showcase what I couldn't have through words, I know sounds cliche right? But it’s true.

The next part of my art journey would be Aiglon. When I first came to the Art department everything seemed comparatively varied to what I had back home. I had more options and didn't know printmaking or cross- hatching were a type of art. Through knowing this I understood that there were many possibilities through which I could express my ideas.

The connection that builds through the media and ideas that I work with are creative and imaginative.

I was able to explore themes such as: Locked, nature, objects, portraits etc and I was able to formulate ideas in terms of mixing different mediums together.

For years pencil was a medium I was able to master very well compared to the others, and this was the one that interested me the most because you get to communicate form and create shade/tones.

I try to picture what and how I want it to look in my head and think about what I need to attain this in the best standard possible. For example,I worked with a clay pot and exhibited the beauty of the ocean through animals and corals.

The most important factor was that I was able to correct it, so it seemed like I was learning everytime I used this medium.

Art has shaped me through the environment I was surrounded especially, travelling. It's interesting how other cultures and backgrounds represent history and life through the form of art, and upon visiting museums and ancient architecture I’ve understood that art is something broad that doesn't have a definition to.

Personally, for every piece of art work I choose the media based on what I want to portray to the viewers, and what I want them to feel if I were in their shoes.

‘Art is not what you see but what you make others see’.

Maria Sarfelt Exeter House

In this exhibition I am exploring the key theme of ‘lock’. Looking closer at this theme I have become familiar with different ideas such as the emotional connection and bond between family, looking at the complicated routes of addiction and the key emotions involved with becoming vulnerable to love.

This year I have tried finding a key media that I both enjoy and also am good at. I have furthered my skills in oil painting while also deepening my handling of using coloured pencil.

What I like most about colour pencils is the fact that I can deepen tones and create life-like pieces using various techniques including blending, harsh pencil strokes and at times, incorporating other media as well.

YEAR 11 ART EXHIBITION BOOK | 2022 - 2023

The relationship between using colour pencil as a media and the idea involved in my work is that I like to focus usually on very delicate concepts and using colour pencil I can achieve that outcome. As well as this if i wanted to, I could create a more harsh outcome by the help of harsher pencil strokes.

Some of my artworks express a very clear meaning but some others I have intentionally left up to interpretation to symbolise the different ways of experiencing emotions as a whole.

Growing up I have learnt to be fond of art with the help of my sister who has both inspired me to dig deeper into the meaning of my art and to help me broaden my interests within the artistry world.

My intention behind my watercolour cranberry tree was to create a calm atmosphere as The Lenni Lenape (an indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada) elevated the cranberry to a significant role in tribal society.

As well as this, my family has been very enthusiastic about including art into my upbringing. I have deepened my interest in art by reflecting on my experiences throughout my lifetime and presenting them in a visual way.

Each individual art work I have done ties together with a theme of emotion. Whether it be landscapes, animals or human interactions, I have always found a way to incorporate emotion.

It was acknowledged as the symbol of peace, hence the use of watercolour. The watercolour is a very delicate media to use which goes hand in hand behind the intentions of the piece.

I want my audience to experience my art as intriguing because of the appeal but interesting because of the meaning. Initially finding it eye-catching however once finding the true meaning behind it, relating it to perhaps common emotions.

Najib Aabi

St Louis House

Over the course of this term, I have tested different art types such as still-life drawing, observational drawing, portraits and experimental art. I have explored themes of realistic, vivid, and dramatic art.

In terms of portraits, ever since I made my first portrait, I have realised I have a great strength in making my work more realistic, therefore, I enjoyed the fact that I can spend as much time given and still make something that is worth it, my time.

In terms of dramatic drawing which I have done for my artist study response to Arthur Rackhma’s masterpiece, I have found it fascinating how this dramatic art effect can fully depict my ideas with the unique stylistic use.

My sense of creativity and dedication is most of the time reflected on my work and has a great influence on how well I recreate artists' work or come up with my own ideas.

However, I also found so many artists that have influenced my art learning, for instance, Georgia O’keefe, who I have learned from how to build a monochromatic piece which I used for painting my Viola instrument.

My portrait of Nancy Ajram which I am currently working on is my biggest and longest art project. It has always been my goal to recreate an actual existing celebrity portrait which I finally seem to achieve to challenge myself and take my skills to the next level.

My work is mostly based around the idea of precision or making it close to how it looks in reality, which is what often defines my work and all of my art pieces have in common.

And, my goal for the outside world is to receive good positive feedback on how well I have performed this portrait.