I feel as if art gives people a way of entering another world, where calm and safety can be found. My art explores fantasy realms and the characters I have created and developed over the years allow me to express feelings of anxiety, sadness, fear, and joy in ways that I may have found difficult to do "out loud". Through a 2D art class, I was also able to explore some feelings of anxiety around growing up and leaving behind what I felt was an idyllic childhood. The things that defined my childhood, such as carefree days without responsibilities, toys and imaginative play, and the time before COVID are all explored in drawings I did for this class. In one particular piece, I am looking at a drawing of my younger self in a mirror. In another, I am lying with my younger self in a field of dandelions. This theme runs through a lot of my work: The anxiety I have about growing up. I feel as if this anxiety is particularly poignant in the face of COVID, shutdowns, and time that was stolen from many kids in the last five years. I was fortunate that I was able to go to high school in-person all four years, but I still feel as if many things were ripped away from me that I will never get back. I explore these feelings of loss through my art. Art has always been a way of expressing myself and tapping into feelings of anxiety that I have wrestled with since I was young. I think a lot of kids my age grapple with anxiety, whether it is because of pressures from social media, pressure to perform and succeed, or pressures from parents. I am the oldest child out of three and have always felt the pressure was on me to do well. As you will see from my submitted examples, I like to explore fantasy themes as well as storytelling through my art. Art has been my love and my focus since I was three years old, and I have never wanted to do anything else. I have been accepted to the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and my goal is to someday create animations or illustrations that speak to other people the way work such as the work of young animators like Alex Hirsch has done for me. I hope to help give people a voice for their fears and anxieties, and let them know that they are not alone. Art is powerful and can help us say the things that are hard to put into words.

It may seem odd to describe how something like video games has positively impacted your life, but one video game, in particular, has radically affected my life --- bringing me strong friendships, a sense of community, and a bedrock in leadership that will serve me well as I move into college and beyond. In 2022, I created an invite-only Minecraft SMP (Survival Multi-player) server that has attracted attention from all over the United States. This group of now forever-friends get together almost daily to play, connect, and share over Minecraft play. We have created characters and built worlds. Because it is my server, I take applications for participants, manage the gameplay and community built around the server, and even host social media accounts for the server --- much like a business or other social group. The server has also allowed me to expand my commissions-based art side business, which has allowed me to save money for college. Through my SMP, called Fabled SMP, I have become adept at managing collaborative gameplay with friends, creating roleplaying and storytelling opportunities, and even managing complex economies to exchange resources and services, much like real life. Minecraft SMPs started to gain popularity around 2014 and there have been some that have found major prominence and formed large fanbases (such as Dream SMP, which not only spawned several internet celebrities and even helped develop the wildly successful band Lovejoy). SMPs allow people to dive into storytelling, creation, society-building, and 'found family' forming. Video games are so much more than just playing in your parent's basement or 'wasting time'. Today they are community builders, means of making friends and socialization, and a way to build skills that are transferable to the real world -- such as leadership, management, and people skills. Many people may feel like video games serve no applicable service in the 'real world', but I have learned so much from the server I created. I built it to a sizable following and the people who have been invited to take place as "characters" within the SMP have become as close as family to me, even though there are some I have not met in person (yet). Gameplay can enhance people's lives, help people get outside of their comfort zones --- especially if they are introverts --- and help people expand their creativity. Video games like Minecraft, Undertale, Oneshot, and Omori, have influenced my approach to creative thinking and my art. I'm not sure I would be the same person today without video games.

I've been studying art in various forms since I was old enough to hold a pencil. I think the person who inspired me the most on my artistic journey was probably my grade school art teacher Ms. Logterman. She was the first teacher to recognize that I had a gift for art. When I left grade school for Middle School, she even gifted me an art smock that her mother had made, to encourage me to continue sharing my art with the world. A portrait that I painted when I was 9 years old still hangs in her office to this day. My parents have also always invested in my art education. They purchased a digital tablet for me as soon as I expressed interest in digital art and animation. I was able to get a head start on learning digital art programs because of this gift. They have never discouraged me from pursuing art as a career. Although I am largely self-taught, following the work of my favorite animators has allowed me to learn what kind of digital art I am drawn to. The work of Alex Hirsch, the creator of the cartoon program Gravity Falls, is one major influence. I was always able to put my own spin on my work --- I never wanted it to be derivative --- but I learned technique, lighting, shading, and digital approach from watching my favorites such as Hirsch and the creators of shows like My Little Pony and Pixar movies such as Inside Out. I have been able to expand my art education in high school, not only through honors classes and participation in the Digital Art and Animation Club as Vice President but also through Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design's Pre-College program. Through these classes, I've been able to get higher education eyes on my work and start to work at a higher level. Through it all, I try to keep my passion for creating and character development alive. I'm 17, but I still love watching cartoons and appreciate animation for the unique artform that it is. Art has impacted ever stage of my childhood and will continue to impact my life as I pursue higher education and a career in the art field. Every educator and supporter that I've had has played a role in where my art stands today and how it will grow in the future.

Ever since I could pick up a pencil, a crayon, or — if I promised not to make a mess – a marker, I wanted to be an artist. I grew up on shows like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Spongebob Squarepants, Gravity Falls, and Disney and Pixar movies. Each shaped my love for animation, character design, and creative storytelling. When I found out that there were people behind each show and movie that I watched, I wanted to do that job. I wanted to be those people. I have been chasing the feeling I get when I bring a character to life since I was a toddler. My work is primarily character-centric storytelling pieces, meant to convey a range of emotions from the characters I have created. I have always been drawn to animation that packs an emotional punch, such as Pixar movies like Inside Out and features from Studio Ghibli. I think animation that makes you feel something is the best kind of art. A large portion of my portfolio contains pieces depicting characters I've spent a year developing. I collaborate with a group of friends — also artists — who have inspired me to try new things with my art, things that I was once afraid to do. This push is what helped me decide to start showcasing my art online, where I’ve garnered a strong following. I have also started my own side business that has done quite well — drawing characters on commission. I have to tell you, it beats working in fast food and it has given me a chance to create for others, not just for myself. I want to continue to share my stories, characters, and experiences with the world, in hopes that somewhere, a kid will see the work I do and be inspired to make something of their own — just as I have been inspired by artists like Alex Hirsch and Lauren Faust. A majority of the work I’ve made so far has been digital and I have been working in digital art programs for years. My primary path of study I hope to pursue is animation. I want to be a part of a team that can make something that people will love like the shows that inspired me as a kid. My secondary options would likely be paths such as character design or illustration. I believe continuing to pursue them would help me improve my storytelling skills and allow me to someday lend a personal vision and voice to stories that will inspire others. The world needs stories, and people need to see themselves reflected in mediums such as animation. I believe compelling animation can help people feel self-worth, combat stereotypes, build acceptance, and create emotional connections to others. In many ways, I remain that little girl, who couldn’t wait to dig into the paper and crayons before her and let her imagination run wild. Each time I open a blank page on my drawing tablet or sit down to draw in a brand-new sketchbook, I get that familiar rush of excitement! I think art can inspire and speak to individual stories, and I want to contribute a voice to the art and animation world.