Art is all around us everywhere we go. It is a part of life and a byproduct of our human nature; we cannot help but express our humanity through various mediums including music, paintings, literature, science and so much more. I have always been in love with art for as long as I can remember. I love immersing myself in it and creating it. I especially enjoy supporting my friends and family members who also create art because their work keeps me inspired. It is very important to support people, especially those close to you, to encourage them to not be afraid to show the world their true selves. What better way to do that than to make art? It is one of the purest forms of self-expression.
Out of curiosity and admiration, I decided to ask some of the amazing people in my life how they came to call themselves “artists” and what art means to them. Here is what they had to say:
1. Ayla Khoshaba
Ayla Khoshaba: I am an animation student at LMU with a minor in computer science. I don’t really know what to say when people ask me to tell them about myself. I’m making a game right now and that’s cool, I think.
AK: While I was always attracted to art, I didn’t start making art prolifically until high school. I do mixed media work a lot. Charcoal and acrylic go really well together, surprisingly, and I would say those are my two favorite mediums. They’re just really dramatic and expressive.
AK: I am inspired by a lot of old art, but also there are so many really talented people who share their work online these days that it’s hard to not be inspired by it all. There’s such a diverse range of styles and voices, so I just immerse myself in that community and get inspiration from them. My own life is also a source of inspiration for the subject matter most of the time.
HC: How would you describe your personal style?
AK: Bruised fruit! That’s my Instagram handle as well. It used to be titanium.crayon, but I feel like I outgrew this name. The colors and expressions tend to match the colors of bruised fruit. Plus, no matter how awful and bitter the world is on the outside, I stay soft and sweet on the inside, and I think the art I make tends to reflect that in style.
AK: I can’t choose! A lot of my favorite work is actually my sketchbook work. I fill those things up so quickly, maybe every few months or so. They have a lot of emotion in them, no polish but that’s why they’re my favorite. They feel different when you hold them or look at them.
2. Devon Garber
Devon Garber: I am from Pasadena, California. I try to do as many things as I can and have fun whenever possible.
HC: When did you start making your art and what mediums do you prefer?
DG: I have been making art my whole life, but in this style, I started heavily at the beginning of this past summer. I primarily use acrylic paint on canvas when painting.
DG: At first, I just did whatever came to mind and eventually learned about Jackson Pollok. His work doesn’t directly inspire what I do, but it does validate what I do as “art”. I feel that determining what art is is up to whoever is creating the art, not the viewer. If the product you make is something that you enjoy or makes you happy, even if the end result isn’t what was initially imagined or displeasing, it is still art.
DG: My personal style is free-flowing and emotional. When I paint, I might have a vague idea of what colors I want to use but other than that, nothing is thought out.
HC: What’s one of your favorite pieces you’ve created and why?
DG: One of my favorite pieces is currently hanging in my best friend’s apartment. I got the idea for it from my experience of learning to surf this summer and going surfing at sunset.
3. Karen Ishaya
Karen Ishaya: My name is Karen Ishaya. I am 19 years old, and I’ve been drawing almost all my life. I went to art school for a year and then thought to myself, “Why am I sitting in a five-hour class to learn how to draw perfect lines and cubes when I don’t even like that sh*t.” Moral of the story, if you make art, you should make it ‘cause you enjoy it and do it the way you want to do it.
HC: When did you start making your art and what mediums do you prefer?
KI: I started as a kid who would finger paint, and now I use a variety of drawing pencils and charcoals. I use art as a way to cope with anxiety and simply because I enjoy it. I began doing more abstract drawings, and then I started getting more into portraits and drawing people. My favorite things to draw with are pencils, pens, and charcoal. My favorite things to draw are people.
KI: I don’t really take inspiration from any particular artists. I just kind of go with the flow of what I’m feeling and let it show through my drawings. Sometimes I use reference photos, but it will end looking almost nothing like the reference picture. I personally feel that if you’re inspired by someone else’s artwork, you shouldn’t fully copy their style and add a little bit of yourself into your piece as well.
KI: I’m not exactly sure how to describe my style, but I guess you could say it’s more on the sketchy/messy side rather than sharp and clean. I like my art to look kind of messy and smudgy. Sometimes I’ll draw fully in pen, so even if I mess up, I can’t erase it. I just have to find a way to fix it. I guess that’s a representation of myself.
HC: What’s one of your favorite pieces you’ve created and why?
KI: I don’t really have a favorite piece. All the pieces I’ve created I like equally, even if I put little effort in one and a lot in the other.
4. Sienna Gonzales
Sienna Gonzales: I am a queer, multiracial writer and visual artist who uses a variety of mediums to explore themes of healing, self-love and social justice. In my work, I shed light on personal trauma and triumph alike through the use of fantastical illustrations and vivid color palettes. My imagery evokes feelings of hope, warmth and vulnerability. As a marginalized person, I use my platform to take up space and provide representation for other marginalized folks. My strengths are ink, acrylic and digital mediums.
HC: When did you start making your art and what mediums do you prefer?
SG: I’ve been drawing since I was one-year-old! I used to draw happy faces with chalk on my grandma’s driveway. My favorite medium right now is either digital art or ink.
SG: I love following other artists on Instagram, especially illustrators of color. I also get a lot of art inspiration from writing!
HC: How would you describe your personal style?
SG: Empowering, vibrant and vulnerable.
SG: One of my favorite pieces is probably an illustration I made for my partner recently. I love when art is infused with sentimental value and sincerity, and I feel that those elements really come through in this work.
