CPS All-City Visual Arts Exhibitions

Teacher Name: Denise Barba
Grade: 12

Materials: Colored Pencil on Wood
Dimensions: 11” × 14”
Description: Soul food is a massive part of my African American culture. I drew soul food flowing through the roots of an African Baobab tree (the tree of life in Africa). The tree provides many benefits to the environment, just as soul food offers health benefits to the body. I drew a galaxy background to represent “another dimension,” a play on the word “soul.”

Artist Statement: The intentions and themes behind my art cover childhood, comfort, a healthy lifestyle, high fashion, positive magnetic energy, and African American culture. Through my work, I am grounded in expanding my craft, incorporating my interests, and developing my youthful spirit.

In 2017, I started exploring photography on my Samsung Galaxy S7. I have always been intrigued by architectural composition and capturing raw and serene moments in time. In 2018 I received a Nikon D3400 for Christmas. Using a professional digital camera allowed me to take my photography a step further. Since then, I have been exploring multiple photographic styles and types of photography, such as product photography, landscape photography, portrait photography, and more. Exa

In 2021, I photographed my first product, the Calvin Klein Obsession men’s cologne. I began to analyze the word obsession and came up with an idea to break pencils and crumble up paper representing the theme of obsession leading to anger. I wanted my audience to feel a sense of tension and conflict while looking at the piece. I continued to take photos of products and give them a sense of life. To develop my creative mindset, I taught myself graphic design to take my creativity a step further. Instead of having the image speak for itself, I was able to add various symbolic details to strengthen my message. Graphic design expanded my imagination, allowing me to incorporate numerous elements while advancing my outlook on composition and structure.

In addition to my digital mediums, I also explore analog art such as painting, charcoal, watercolor, colored pencil, and more. Watercolor is one of my favorite materials because of the free-flowing movement it provides.