Teacher Name: Sydney Ruiz
Grade: 12

Materials: Paper napkins, glue, and acrylic paints
Dimensions: 13 x 13 inches

Artist Statement: Art is my happy place to escape the busy family lifestyle that drowns in responsibilities. I am a first-generation descendant of immigrants. I am not like every other teenager in America. I’ve been living with a fear of getting my parents taken away from me my whole life. Neither my mother nor my father got to 4th grade; they never had the opportunity to study and live their life doing what they loved to do. This opportunity to learn what I love to do is incredibly important to me. 

I want to continue to experiment and create different art. I like to turn my problems and experiences into something beautiful, like painting, lyrics, or photographs. Different experiences help me create and experiment with different colors and ideas. When I do art, I stay off the internet for a while and think about what the world needs today. I want to give more happiness to the world because the world I’ve lived in has been all about sadness and negativity. I believe that given this opportunity will help me reach that goal.

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