Grade: Senior
Materials: Alcohol Marker, Colored Pencil, Ink Pen
Dimensions: 9″x12″
Artist Statement: It is well known that artists are constantly pressured to find their own unique style. It has been told to all artists, by either mentors or those closest to us, that without your own original style, you will never stick out among other artists and you are destined to become just another painter with an impossible dream. The concept of finding your own style is embedded in all aspiring artists head’s constantly, but it is never explained how to achieve it. I struggled for years trying to find my own style, I would always draw what I saw on TV, books, or the fake painting prints that decorated my home. It was a goal of mine to replicate all artwork that I found appealing, thinking that maybe if I drew like them, I would be a good artist too. I followed this self-destructive way of thinking for much too long, and consequently, stunted my own artistic growth. It is now that I realize that my art does not necessarily have to look like the artwork that I like. For instance, I have always studied and admired the artworks of both the British painter, Francis Bacon, and Polish painter, Zdzislaw Beksinski. Their art styles can be described as dark and intense, however, my work hardly resembles any of theirs even though I look up to both of them so greatly. That is, unfortunately, the futile mistake that so many aspiring artists seem to make. We seek to find our own style by mimicking the work of those we admire, and while replicating is most definitely a way that an artist can pick up new techniques and learn from those before us, it is ultimately one of the main reasons artists just can’t seem to find their own voice in art. That is why am I am very grateful that I have finally established a style of my own. Through alcohol markers and watercolor paper, I am able to express my appreciation for Japanese culture, as well my respect for neo-traditional tattooing. I know that my art style will only change and develop as I continue to create artwork, but my foundation will always stay the same; and as I continue to grow, I hope to share with other aspiring artists that it is possible to find your own signature style that will allow you to genuinely express yourself to the rest of the world.
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