Framed

Teen Photography by R.Jain The Art of Industry by E.Lucksinger

Street Scene by E.Taleff Painting aa Story K K. Le Why Art? bybyK.Le Painting Story by

Letter From the Editor Being a part of the Framed team was one of the best experiences any of us could have asked for. While geting to know each other, we also were able to learn more about the types of arts that we are interested in. Being a part of the Framed team helped us connect to Austin’s art community, and gave us insight on the experiences and the behind-the-scenes work of being an artist, which was an opportunity that none of us will ever want to give up. The creation of this magazine was so fun and an important learning experience, so the Framed team hopes that you enjoy reading this magezine as much as we did creating it.

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Graphic courtesy of Emmi Lucksinger

Photo courtesy of Kirtan Nagavarapu

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Our pal, Ceclia, is from Austin, Texas!

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“Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird” is a Painting by Frida Kahlo, a famous Latina artist.

“Nighthawks” is a painting

by Edward Hopper, an American artist.

“The Ninth Wave” is a painting by Artist Ivan Aivazovsky in Russia.

“The Great Wave off Kanagawa”, or “The Great Wave” was painted by Katsushika Hokusai in Japan.

“The Creation of Adam” is a fresco painting by Michelangelo, which forms part of the Sistine Chapel's ceiling in the Vatican.

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Throughout the magazine our mini artists, Cecelia, William, and Henry, have been hidden within the pages. The Framed Team challenges you to find all of them (not counting the ones of pages 9, 44, or 45)!

by Emmi Lucksinger

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Photo courtesy of Kevin Le

“Dubbel Loop”, a clay piece by Ben Appl, local artist. Photo courtesy of Ben Appl

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eing an artist as a career is about much more than making art. The art community is a diverse collection of enthusiasts, educators, creators, collectors, and more, all connected by a passion for art.

The art industry is incredibly diverse, and incorporates people from all kinds of fields: teachers, businesspeople, creators, academics and more all come together. Austin’s creative community is visible all around the city-it’s even famous for being the city of live music. Beneath the entertainment and beauty found in the art around us is a complex web of buyers, sellers, and creators, all centered around the inexplicable allure that art holds. “[Art] is not something that

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is a brain surgery, it’s not a life or death thing, it’s not like being a race car driver, being an astronaut, where if you make one bad move it’s crucial, or critical. Sometimes even some of the mistakes can lead to discovery, and even can be an interesting pathway to responding to the materials or medium, or a process that the artist isn’t comfortable or familiar with. Sometimes you have to compensate for this or that, and you can find things that you’d never realized. So the exploration would be kind of that fourth category there. It’s communicating, it’s for introspection, kind of maybe self-realization, it’s gratification, and it’s coming up with innovative or exploration of things that you may not have other ways or means

to explore,” said Ben Appl, a professor of sculpture at Austin Community College.

Creating art is a process that can be both deeply personal or directed towards a community, but it is, at its base, an expression of creativity and a passion to create something out of nothing.

“I would say I’ve always liked being able to escape and kind of get inside my head or see what potential different types of physical materials have. I could think about being a kid and whittling sticks, or making LEGOs that weren’t actually formed to make, you know, the Lord of the Rings. It was something where you had to use your imagination and really work with what it had to offer. It was something that was square, it was something that was fairly

rigid, but you could use your imagination,” said Appl.

There are as many ways to teach art as there are to define it, but Appl takes a very handson approach to his work with students.

“For my classes I basically give some general guidelines for projects and then show them how they’re made, and let them figure it out. I do a workshop style teaching where you’re given processes, you’re given materials, and kind of set off in the right direction and it’s one of those things where some of the mistakes you make might be something that is a great work of art, some of the things you try to do, that you

think is gonna be a great work of art may be something you want to throw in the trash,” Appl said, describing the structure of his classes at ACC. When asked what he wishes he would’ve known before starting as an artist, he replied “What do I wish I would’ve known? Probably would’ve gotten a day job. It’s easier to have time in your studio or time to make art without having to worry about where your next meal might come from,” Appl continued.

To be a successful creator one need to find your niche in the community and build a network of clients to stay in

Jessica Attie at Radio Cafe in South Austin.

Photo courtesy of Emmi Lucksinger

business. In Austin this could mean anything from having contacts at local galleries to working with a number of local businesses.

Jessica Attie, a local commercial photographer based in Austin for over a decade, shared that “I wish I had known that photography means being a business owner, and there’s not many actual jobs that you can go apply for as a photographer in a salary position.” She continued, “Learn business skills, in conjunction with learning photography, because you will most likely be owning your own business, and most photographers that are really successful are really good business people.”

Although artists gain most of their money from allowing others to enjoy their art, finding the time to enjoy their own art is more difficult.

“In college I was able to really play with it as an art form, and now that I have to make money, it’s harder to find the time to not do commercial things, but I still really appreciate art,” said Attie. Sometimes it’s hard now that I’ve been doing it for a job to do it for fun, if I think of a project idea and I want to do it, then I have fun with it. I try to have fun when

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I’m working, too, though. I try to make it my a job to do it for fun, if I think of a project idea and I want to do it, then I have fun with it. I try to have fun when I’m working, too, though. I try to make it my own and make it fun,” said Attie.

Freelancing is a way that a large number of artists use to make a living; it allows control and flexibility over work condition, something many artists need.

“My job is not that one project. Even if it’s a crappy project, any freelancer has this same situation. Even if they have a client that they really don’t like, or a project that they don’t enjoy at all, it’s temporary.

Because when you’re done, that’s it. You can say no to that client,” said Attie of her work.

Art never stops being a creative outlet to enjoy, even if you’re at a time when you don’t like the projects you’re working on. But, artists could have no means of supporting themselves without the people working to showcase their work. Creative endeavors need an audience, and making art accessible to the public is an important role of those working with creators.

“That’s what good curators do, they interpret and reinterpret work for current consumption. How can we look at this artist in a current light, even if that artist is no longer here. The curator, the people who actually put the works on the walls and do the research to find how those works connect to each other, that’s what makes a collection more than just a great collection,” said Thompson.

Art’s meaning changes as the times do, and being in control of an exhibition means having a responsibility to keep that in mind. The Blanton and Umlauf, for example, both have rotating exhibits that vary based on theme and relevance, with some recent exhibits at the Blanton like Elsworth Kelly’s Austin, a permanent exhibit of a freestanding structure designed for the city, or Line Form Color, an exhibit with a special focus on the rise of abstract art in the 20th century.

Austin continues to be a city deeply entrenched “Stage Loop”-Ben Appl, clay and found wood. in all forms of art, something its community will Photo courtesy of Ben Appl hopefully always celebrate, from the makers to the viewers-everyone is a part of keeping this beautiful tradition alive.

INSTRUCTIONS: Take the quiz to find out which part of the art industry you belong to! Record your answers and add up your total to find where you fit best.

1. What is your favorite way to interact with the arts? a) Making art, duh! b) Studying it c) Going to community workshops

2. When you complete an assignment, what is your goal? a) To get a good grade b) To have fun c) To understand the concept d) Because I have to

3. What is your most notable quality? a) Leadership b) Observation skills c) Intelligence d) Enthusiasm

4. How often do you procrastinate? a) All the time b) Pretty often, but I usually get everything done c) Rarely, but when I do, it’s bad d) Never!

5. What kind of learner are you? a) Visual b) Auditory c) Kinetic

6. Are you a team player? a)Yes b) No

7. Can you imagine having a 9 to 5 job?

Yes No

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ANSWERS: 1. a-1 point b-4 points c-3 points d-2 points 2. a-3 points b-2 points c-4 points d-1 point 3. a-4 points b-1 point c- 3 points d-2 points

Commercial Photographer- 6-10 points

Artist- 11-15 points

Professor- 16-20 points

4. a-2 points b-1 point c-3 points d-4 points 5. a-2 points b-4 points c-1 point 6. a-3 points b-2 points 7. a- 4 points b-1 points

Museum Employee- 21-24

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Photo courtesy of Kirtan Nagavarapu

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hotography is taking the world by storm and these teens are a part of the adventure!

The art of capturing moments, objects, and almost anything and everything has been around for countless ages. Whether it’s through a painted picture or the lens of a camera that art is prominent in our lives. The act of capturing these stills through a camera is most popular in our time.

These photos are taken through smart phones, highlevel DSLRs, and more then shared virtually or personally.

There are plenty of adult

professional photographers, but now Generation Z photographers are taking over the photography world in a flash.

“Part of the popularity in teen photography is just because social media is just a big part of our lives now, so we have this need to share photos,” said Abby Ong, a teen photographer at James Bowie High School. “With that comes the need to share the best photos and I think sometimes people just kind of find a niche in it. It’s creative and highly rewarding!”

Ong started photography

Andrea Brown, below, photographed by Abby Ong. Photo courtesy of Abby Ong.

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classes in middle school, but like other teens, she started out with a love to capture photos of random things as a child.

She started with an intro to photojournalism class, where she got to learn the basics of photography and was urged to take more and more pictures.

By the time high school rolled around, Ong’s interest in photography had peaked.

“Basically the pride that I get out of looking back at something that everybody here has worked so hard on and being able to say that, ‘Oh my gosh that’s my photo. I took that,’ is probably one of the biggest driving factors,” said

Evan Mento, a photographer at manual settings right off the Westlake High School. bat because I remember I For Mento, a love for always used auto, so I wasn’t photography sprouted from really learning. I also wish I his mother. “It’s just something had learned about Lightroom she’s not very good at it but because I prefer that over she does it anyway. I’ve always Photoshop. I think it’s a better been kind of interested in editing software and I wish I cameras and how they work butwas using Lightroom before I never thought I’d be taking Photoshop,.” said Preston Rolls, photos for a yearbook,” added another teen photographer at Mento.

James Bowie High School.

For teens looking to get Preston started his interested in photography, photography experience our spotlight photographers in an photojournalism class have some tips for you! “I and continued to yearbook wish I knew how to use and is now in commercial

photography. “Do a little research on some photography, look at some inspiration on Instagram, Twitter. There’s a bunch of people that do tutorials on photography.

You should just go online to figure a way to get educated on this topic,.” added Rolls.

“The first thing that I would do is surround yourself with examples of high level photography that you want to aspire to because I think that’s the quickest way to learn something. When you have a good example and once you

Photo courtesy of Kirtan Nagavarapu.

“I am drawn to photography more than any other kind of art is because there is no limit to the creativity you can show. Lately teen photographers are getting more exposure that they did in the past due to social media and other internet resources. As in personal experience I have been given many opportunities that most people my age would never experience like internships, job opportunities, and even news stories. Eric Paré is by far one of my favorite photographer, and the reason that I enjoy his photography is because of the mystery he adds to his art. I enjoy capturing pictures that are inexplicable which results in the best feeling for a photographer: when your audience is completely captured by your work.” ~Kirtan N (Teen Photographer at McNeil Highschool) Instagram: @natrikqp

~Abby Ong 22

start to be able to pick up, ‘Oh this is good and that was bad and if they had done this the photography would have been better,’ your photography itself will naturally increase,” said Ong. For all you know, your future could being laying in the pictures you scroll through with admiration. “Once you start to expose yourself to all these different kinds of photography and you see what makes the photo better, you’ll be able to pick up on it faster,” added Ong. Similar to yearbook, commercial photography is when photographs get more professional, but for the sake of others outside of a school.

“Commercial photography is more editorial work or baby pictures, senior pictures, and wedding photos, that kind of thing… With commercial photography you’re more limited by what the client wants,” said Ong. Commercial photography can even play the role as the bridge between yearbook and hobby photography. “For commercial photography it’s more of an open prompt [compared to Photo by Abby Ong. Photo courtesy of Abby Ong. yearbook]. I’ve had multiple shoots or I can go

Maddie Baker photographed by Megan Baker. Photo courtesy of Megan Baker.

“The process of setting up a scene or choosing it, and taking the photo really draws me to photography. Guy Bourdin, Man Ray, Meat Yard, and Cindy Sherman are just a few photographers that stand out to me because those were some of the first photographers I was introduced to. I feel the popularity of teen photography is becoming more of a “capture and go” and less of a “ think about the composure and meaning behind what the lens is capturing”. I enjoy trying to take a whole bunch of different styles at the moment. I’m still trying to figure out what is my strongest style and which one really works with me best.” ~Megan B. (Teen Photographer at Georgetown Highschool) Instagram: @through.megs.lens

Westlake Highschool cheerleaders photographed by Evan Mento. Photo courtesy of Evan Mento.

in a studio where I’m only focusing on one person rather than a group.” said Rolls.

Taking photos doesn’t have to just for the yearbook or for a class at school. Photography can simply be for the enjoyment of taking photos.

“As a hobby there’s definitely a lot more freedom with it.

You can take pictures of what you want and you know you have the freedom over those photos. You can do with them what you want,” said Ong, playing in two fields: commercial photography and photography as a hobby.

We all have certain things we enjoy capturing and certain people who have

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inspired our passions. “I like taking photos of Downtown Austin and the city. I also like taking a lot of portraits in that area and I think it’s really nice, but I wouldn’t say I have a specific favorite because I like taking photos of a lot of things,” shared Rolls.

The things we enjoy capturing can come from the self or from our inspirations.

“One of [my inspirations] is Petra Collins. I really enjoy her style, the way she uses different colored lights, and editing. It’s just really nice.

And then another one is this guy named Derrick Freske and he’s inspired a lot of my studio shoots. I saw that used star stickers and I thought that was a really cool concept so I started using them as well.”

Inspiration doesn’t have to come from a famous photographer, but can be found within one’s social circle. For Evan Mento, his inspiration is last year’s head photographer of yearbook at Westlake. “Her name was Allie Mashburn. She took all the photos and in our yearbook except for a few orchestra, band, and choir ones but they were all just extremely good and I always wanted to kind of become like that. Over the summer, I got the chance to learn from her.”

Mento’s drive to continue photography came from a friend and role model. “One of the main things I really enjoyed about her photography was she captured the moments that not everybody was able

to see. It wasn’t always the star football player - more of the person who played backup. It was her ability of capturing the moments that weren’t always in the spotlight which really drove me,” added Mento. Now, Evan keeps his head on a swivel, on the lookout for the moment to capture precious memories.

For photographers in a photography class, inspirations are surrounding you. “I see the different types of photography that my peers around me create and I think it’s so fascinating how drastically different our photo styles can be,” said Ong. Inspirations can be either something to strive to or

something to admire. “There’s it’s really amazing to capture a guy named Oliver Gory… people’s expressions and their He has developed his own feelings. All of it.” photography style super well.

For others, it’s not just It’s super clean and minimalist photographing the things in and the tones are just life. “Photography is a muse beautiful. He’s able to capture of self-expression and it’s also stuff at an angle that I would a way to document all the never think to take,” added things that I appreciate in life...I Ong. feel like photography is such Photography can mean so a strong way of connecting many things to us. It can be a with people,” said Ong. simple hobby, a fulfilling career “Since every photographer or something entirely else. develops their own style kind For Preston Rolls, “It’s about of photography, you get to capturing special moments in see the way that they view the people’s lives. A lot of people world too. Whenever you look say that, but it’s really true, at another photographer’s when you capture the moment work, they’re showing you a it feels really nice and piece of their reality.”

Photograph mentioned in Ashley’s story in photography. Photo courtesy of Ashley L.

“I’ve always loved the idea of capturing unique moments and being able to cherish the memories that came with them forever. I feel that there aren’t as many teen photographers as there could be. Overall, many teens love to get cool photos for their instagrams etc. and if more of these teens persuaded taking photos I think that there would be more teen photographers. While I do enjoy capturing specific moments, like birthdays or senior photos, I love taking a photo with a story behind it. I enjoy taking photos of my friends and taking landscape shots. I also love working with blue and purple hues along with using bokeh. For example, I was being bullied and called names at school, so I took a photo of a smashed tile that had negative thoughts and words spread around it to represent the courage that it takes to break through barriers. For me I love the art and all of the various things that you can do in photography.” ~Ashley L. (Teen Photographer at Georgetown Highschool) Instagram: @_artsy_ash

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Follow the quiz to find out what type of paintbrush you are!

(The name of the brush will be at the end. Descriptions are on the next page!)

Which teacup is your cup of tea?

What’s your ideal type of Instagram account?

mustache teacup

china teacup

neon teacup

What’s your go to music genre?

a portrait

astrological

indie music hip-hop music

START HERE

pop music

If you were to paint a picture, which of the following styles would you paint?

rainy

an abstract painting Rainy weather or sunny weather?

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a landscape painting

sunny

aesthetic

End: Filbert

out End: Filbert

Inside or outside?

meme

Wizards of Waverly Place

in

End: Fan

Phineas and Ferb

Which Disney Channel show is your favorite?

red

That’s So Raven

End: Flat

Red or blue?

End: Round

blue Are you introverted or extroverted?

introvert End: Detail

extrovert

End: Filbert

What type of communication do you prefer?

texting

End: Fan

snapchat End: Detail

Round Paintbrush Filbert Paintbrush Fan Paintbrush

You’re the type of person who is very detail o like to take con riented. You trol of situation s when it’s nee know what’s ha ded. You like to ppening and ke ep charge of si brushes are use tuations. These d for sketching , outlining, deta controlled wash iled work, es, and filling in small areas.

They’re good for smoothin g, blending, fe textural effec athering, ts, clouds, an d leaves on tre generally kee es. You like to p things prett y simple, but to the final ou w hen comes tcome, extra details are usu to satsify you ally added .

Filberts ar e used ble ndin edges like flower peta g, soft rounded ls. This bru a combina sh is sort o tion of the f round and es. You’re flat brushthe kind o f persone w get the job ho wants to done but strive to d o it prope rly.

Detail Round Paintbrush

You tend to a ct shy in socia l situations, b that shell is b ut once roken throug h, people lea you are a very rn that colorful perso n! These brus for details an hes are d short stroke s and they ho color than yo ld more u might think !

You a gotta-get-the-job-do ne kind of person. You’re Flat a confident, bold person wh o strongly believes in bein g themselves. These are used fo r bo ld str ok es Paintbrush filling wide spaces, and impasto. They can be, washes,

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used for edge for fine lines, straight edges and stripes. Long haired flat brushes are idea l for varnishing.

b y E m i l y Ta l e f f

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Photo courtesy of Lucas Aoki

Mike Johnston poses with his R2D2 mural. Photo courtesy of Mike Johnston

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he world is a treasure chest of creativity, so it’s difficult to go through a day without being influenced by some kind of art.

Austin is a diverse and growing city full of unique artists and artforms. Art can be found everywhere from restaurants to galleries to fences. Most of this is street art, which is a booming industry in the Austin area. Street artists like Lucas Aoki and Mike Johnston have covered Austin streets with beautiful and colorful murals, and mural artists like Avery Orendorf have helped bring 32 artistic inspiration into people’s lives with her

custom mural business. The overflowing amount of art that can be seen throughout the city helps bring people together both with the positive messages that these murals aim to send, and the inspirational and fun way that the artworks are created.

“I was always really surrounded by music and art,” said Aoki. “I was exposed different kinds of art, so I think I can get inspiration from many different artists.”

Inspiration to create art can be sparked just from seeing it in the world.

“Art was the one thing that I could escape to, and I was excited to be able to go and draw,” Johnston said.

This escape developed into street art and mural art for these artists. Because of this, keeping a positive message in their art pieces is something that is important to them.

“In a way, you’re making a connection with strangers, which is one thing that I really like about street art,” said Johnston. “I might never meet all the people that are seeing these posters, but, hopefully, it’s making a positive impact on them. Overall, I want to be positive, uplifting, and encouraging. For a lot of the murals I’m painting, I try to pick bright colors and something nice if I actually put words on the piece, and just trying to give a positive message.”

The way their art influences people is important, but the people and things these artists get inspired by are important too.

“I am very influenced by my kids and the books that we read, especially with my illustration work,” Orendorf said. “Each and every artist is a teacher and each piece of art is a lesson. I just try to learn as much as I can every day.”

Another way these artists get inspired is by working with other artists. There is an Austin based organization called SprATX, which is a graffiti company that gathers artists together to work on projects. SprATX provides the perfect opportunity for artistic creation and creates an environment for artists to

One of Avery Orendorf’s colorful murals. Photo courtesy of Avery Orendorf

learn from each other.

“It’s a lot of fun to talk to other artists and talk about what other projects they’re doing and just getting to collaborate with those artists,” Johnston

Lucas Aoki works on one of his larger mural projects. Photo courtesy of Lucas Aoki

said. “I learn a lot from them.

I guess it provides life skills by interacting and watching these other artists get to work.”

Being able to interact with other artists and being able to display art is something that artists love about the Austin community.

“I’ve painted a mural off of East 6th Street for South

By Southwest a couple of years ago with a couple of friends and volunteers,” said Orendorf. “It was wonderful to be out there painting in public with good people around me.

The Austin art community is incredibly inclusive and supportive. There are so many opportunities for artists to come together through the East and West Austin Studio Tours and

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One of Mike Johnston’s (Truth) murals. Photo courtesy of Mike Johnston.

other opportunities.”

The Austin art community does have its pros and cons.

The community is quickly growing, which allows for more variety in the pieces that can be seen, but there are also some trends that seem to dominate the local industry.

“I don’t think that artists are really analytical,” said Aoki.

“Nowadays, we’re literally just assigning work, and essential art is great work, but at the same time, I think that real art is something that you feel. It just makes an impact or connection to the viewer and that’s how it works. It just happens naturally. There is a lot of art based on Texas stuff because it sells the most. It’s a way to get people interested in what you do, and it makes money. To me, it’s such an empty way of making art.”

Making art and sharing it with the community is something that artists love, but being able to help others find inspiration create their own art is important as well.

“I think that people who don’t have a regular art practice in their life forget how wonderful and inspiring creative work can be.” said Orendorf. “Adults also

doubt their abilities unless they are working artists.

Gathering people together who are not professional artists to practice art is an incredible way to grow as a creative community and remind people that we are all artists.”

Lucas Aoki works on a mural. Photo courtesy of Lucas Aoki.

Learn the Framed style of writing by tracing the letters below!

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This section is called the head, often referred to as the bristles of the brush. The bristles are also called hair, as they used to be made of animal hair, usually hog or horse hair. This part is where the paint is held, and they come in all different shapes and sizes for different painting techniques and can be specialized for different types of paints.

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The neck is the part of the brush that holds the handle and the bristles together. In cheaper brushes, this is made of plastic, but in more professional brushes, it is made of any kind of soft metal.

The handle is the part of the brush that you hold. It is usually made of wood or plastic, and in historical times, could have also been made of bone. The length of the handles vary, depending on the usage of the brush. for example, brushes with longer handles are better for making oil paintings.

Hi. My name’s Philip, and I’ll be teaching you about some simple photography techniques.

The Rule of Thirds

There are a few techniques that you should keep in mind Rule of Thirds Lines Shapes Layering Rule of Odds Symmetry Angles

This is possibly the simplest technique that you can begin to implement in your photos.

You can imagine drawing a 3x3 grid across the picture. If you align important objects to the lines going across the picture, it’s more aesthetically pleasing.

Lines Another simple technique is the use of lines to draw the eye to certain aspects of the picture.

It also gives the photo a sense of form and structure. The lines don’t necessarily have to be clearly defined. They can simply follow the form or outline of an object.

Shape and Form The use of shapes in a photograph is also a very useful technique as it can highlight the subject of your photo(as an outline). Form is when the shape becomes three-dimensional. Focusing on shape and form is useful to make your photograph more interesting.

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Layering Layering is the use of depth in your photos.

Having multiple levels between the background and foreground of an image will give your image more depth and can make it seem much bigger.

The use of layering will keep your photograph from seeming completely two-dimensional.

Rule of Odds

When you use an odd amount of objects in an image, the image looks more intriguing. Odd objects are more attractive to the eye.This is a super easy technique that you can implement in your photos.

Symmetry

This technique uses the vertical or horizontal axis of an image, by reflecting itself and having about half of the image the miror of the other. Proper use of the technique will create a fascinating photo.

Angles

Don’t be afraid to take photos from different angles. Rather than taking a photo head on, the different angles keep your photos fresh and new. Also, the different angles can have different effects.

Practice

See what suits you! You have to practice often so that you can develop your own style.

Also, use a combination of some of these techniques to create an even more stylized picture that accomplishes what you want it to.

Photos by Kevin Le

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Photo courtesy of Kevin Le

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one of the largest art museums in the world, with artwork spanning 5,000 years of human existence.

Christie Stockstill is a professional fine art photographer with a business in Austin, Texas, and Helen Jewart is an art student at Anderson High School.

“I think art changes the way that we view and understand the world,” Morales said. “I

think it provides context in new ways with or without the written language. An image can really speak to people in new and exciting ways.”

These experiences are not the same for every person. They can vary depending on the age, background, gender, and life experiences of the artist, and they’re always different. That’s the beauty of art.

“It’s a way to express yourself that doesn’t really need the written word,” Morales said.

“It can transform people’s experiences but can also transcend language because you can make something, and someone who speaks a totally different language than you can see what you’ve created and connect with you via an image.”

The impact it can make is also integral to the creation of art.

“Art can be a means of seeking understanding, exploring, and discovering. It can be revealing or mysterious.

It can be calming, or it can ignite a fire,” Stockstill explained. “It can be a way to reflect what’s going on in the world or in our community or even in our homes or in our own lives. A way of sorting out what’s going on in society or for telling the stories of that society.”

Artists can have a lot of control over what they want to A man stands next to a painting by Piet Mondrian at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). The MoMA is renowned for its large collection of contemporary show society and the impact and modern art. Photo by Kevin Le they want to have. painting is not just a picture, it’s a story.

Darcy-Tell Morales, Christie Stockstill and Helen Jewart see the entire tale behind a piece of artwork.

Darcy-Tell Morales is an educator at the Metropolitan Museum of art and a coordinator for the teen program. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (also known as the Met) is highly regarded as

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Jewart said.

It’s this culmination of an artist’s intent and style that makes a painting. So, the next time a piece of art is exhibited, really gaze at it. See the artist behind its brushstrokes, the message it’s embodying, and the story it is trying to tell.

A man recreates a sculpture on a canvas at the Metropolitan Museum of Art(Met). The Met is regarded as one of the largest museums in the world with over two million items. Photo by Kevin Le

“Andy Warhol is a great example of this because his art changed what society views as art by taking the visual vernacular and making it into something extremely profound and thought provoking,” Jewart said.

Sometimes, the events around a piece of artwork can also be just as important.

“We have a work of artwork here that about 10-12 years literally fell and smashed into a lot of pieces,” Morales said.

“And it took them ten years to put them back together…

And so it makes young people think beyond just the

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art being on the wall or being in the gallery here, but what is the life of a piece of artwork and what’s the story behind it?”

The process behind a piece of artwork can be just as impactful as the art itself because the artist can find meaning in the making of it.

“I think I’m exploring [art] in a way that has been crucial to who I am as a person and to be able to explore who I am as a person,” Stockstill said.

A person can find their own style and explore what they want to show through their art.

This exhibits the values that are important to each artist.

“Art has made me more aware of ways to express myself and to appreciate different ideas,”

Getting started with art from the professionals Anybody can start creating art, however one has to understand a couple things.

“You won’t be Picasso on day one,” Morales said. “A lot of these artists make a lot of artwork and some of it is really bad art and that’s fine. You just have to keep trying and keep making so that you can perfect your craft.”

Just know that everybody has to start somewhere but improving require practice.

“Art and art making is a muscle and you need to practice just like you would practice in a sport, just like you would practice an instrument,” Morales continued. “You have to keep working at it to be better.”

It’s vital to keep on trying new things.

“You shouldn’t be afraid to do something totally weird or to do something completely ordinary. Or both at once!”

Jewart said.

Another important thing to note is that one can experience something similar to writer’s

block.

“Inspiration isn’t constant,” Stockstill said. “You have to understand that there’s going to be some times where it’s almost depressing how you just aren’t getting any ideas.

Or everything seems like it’s already been done. Or you have nothing new to bring to the table… You know you have to just accept those times and really work through them.”

Finally, understand that not everybody might appreciate somebody’s art.

“It is so personal that you

know you might create this wonderful piece that you are in love with and a whole series and it just may not resonate with some people and you just have to be okay with that and keep at it,” she said.

Keep these things in mind and anybody become a great artist in no time. So pick up a paintbrush and start a new story.

Ashley Lillian Kirtan Nagavarapu Christie Stockstill Helen Jewart Darcy-Tell Morales

Jessica Attie Abby Ong Preston Rolls Evan Mento Megan Baker

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