I was very young when I first moved to Virginia. I was originally born in Brooklyn, New York, and it was difficult fitting in at first. I had a bit of an accent, and at the time, there weren’t many kids in my class that looked like me during elementary school. I remembered staying at my grandmother’s house and using her old pens and fax machine paper to draw to my heart’s content. So whenever I felt down, I created. I sketched ideas using whatever I could find; loose leaf, ballpoint pens, anything that was lying around at the moment. My papers filled up with many little doodles — I began to share them with classmates, and became the ‘art kid’! I was quite proud of what I made, but would sometimes get in trouble for drawing too much, haha. Throughout the years, my art teachers were always so warm and encouraging towards me. They would push me to grow and improve my craft. I don’t think I would’ve been accepted into the schools I wanted if it hadn’t been for their guidance. I was ecstatic the day I received my acceptance letter. It meant the beginning of my journey towards an art career. I learned so much during my freshman year of college; I absorbed as much as I could, like a sponge. I could always be seen walking to and fro to classes with a huge portfolio strapped to my back. My first semester wasn’t easy, but I was motivated by awesome instructors, and the new friends and acquaintances I made who were all striving towards the same goal. It was around spring break when Covid-19 started spreading throughout the United States. What I thought was a short lockdown turned into a continuous, worldwide pandemic. My family back in New York got infected with the virus, and I wasn’t able to visit them for a very long time. The friends I had made my first semester felt so far away. I began to fall into a depression. Just like when I was little, I used my art as an outlet. I spent time between classes painting for myself, and found solace in reading and watching the media that inspired me to create when I was younger. I cherished weekly online get-togethers for art club. It made things easier. As time went on, I began entering more creative spaces online; listening to other artists’ experiences, watching how they expressed themselves through their work. Through this I realized the importance of art. I think art truly shines in its ability to connect people, as well as the self. I’ve met so many wonderful people along my artistic journey, I don’t know where I would be without them. Paintings, sculptures, books, films — they have all moved me in some way, and I want to add to those experiences. When it felt like there was no light at the end of the tunnel, it was the enjoyment of painting that uplifted me. I’m pursuing my art education because I want to be able to instill that importance onto others. Whether that’s through creating stories to inspire, or helping other younger, marginalized artists find their way, as I’m doing now. Thank you, Kayes-Stark Family, for listening to my story. Art is very important to me; if I were to win, I would use this scholarship to continue my education in the arts. (I thought it would also be fitting for me to add my portfolio in addition to my essay, many of the works there were made during lockdown. :) ) https://courtneyws.myportfolio.com

Most would think that as an artist my biggest influences would be Picasso, or Degas, Dalí, or Kahlo… But they aren’t — the biggest influence in my life and work is my mom. From day one my mom has always supported my dreams, always instilling the words, "you can do anything you put your mind to". There have been many times where I've felt lost, or not good enough, but she's always been there for me. She’s always pushed me to do my best. Several years ago in middle school, she encouraged me to apply to a high school specialty program for the arts. I remember being so excited when I came home with the acceptance letter; the instruction from the wonderful teachers in the program ultimately allowed me to pursue art in college. My mom saw that art made me happy — when I was little, she'd always make sure that I'd have a small set of crayons or markers so that I could draw to my heart's content. Looking back, it was probably because if she didn't, I would start drawing with her office supplies instead (in my defense, those ballpoint pens were great to sketch with!) Some things haven't changed; I still love using upbeat, vibrant colors to sketch and paint with. My art style is inspired by my love for animation and reading comics. I’ve always been drawn to those two mediums because of the endless multitude of worlds it can transport its audiences to. I mainly work digitally because it gives me a broader range of colors to work with, as well as the ability to experiment with different virtual tools. I'm currently studying towards a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University. I love stories and storytelling, so once I graduate I want to use my art to create and add to more diverse storylines. I always light up when I see characters that look like me in media — I want to help bring that experience to more people, especially younger generations. Although BIPOC representation in media is getting better, there are still so many genres out there to tap into! It’s ideas like that which excite me the most. Art has always been a creative outlet for me. Alongside painting, I love crafting characters and colorful worlds in my head; in the future I want to use my skills to create works that have a positive impact on others.

When the world went on lockdown, it impacted everyone's lives -- I was just finishing up freshman year when covid hit. Close family members of mine got sick. I felt like I couldn't do anything, living so far away from them. 2020 left me in a really dark place. Several months later though, I'm pleased to say that things have turned around. My family has recovered (fully vaccinated as well!). Studying from home has lessened my anxieties about art school; I get to focus on my classes better, as well as spend more time with the ones that I love. I check in online regularly with my relatives that live farther away too. The time during lockdown has also given me the chance to really think about my art and what I want to do with it. Social media can be a numbers game for artists sometimes; it’s easy to feel small. I'm in a closely-knit animation club; the encouragement and positivity we have given each other throughout quarantine has uplifted and motivated me greatly. I have started making some of my best work, and was able to open up my first online store. :)

To me, being an artist means that I have the ability and freedom to express my imagination and passions into works of art. The ideas and stories that I constantly ruminate on are my fuel to keep drawing. The infinite possibilities of what I can accomplish on a canvas drives me to constantly improve my skills, so that my visions and ideas can be properly expressed visually. Comics and animation are the two artforms that inspire my work the most. I really love how different artists can have so many varying approaches to storytelling in these formats; I think that’s the main reason why my imagination still runs wild to this day. As a kid, though, there weren’t very many characters that looked like me in either of these medias. The comic characters I drew in my sketchbook definitely didn’t — I think that because I didn’t see myself in the characters I watched and read, I didn’t think that black characters in sci-fi or fantasy genres were possible. Whenever I see black heroes and heroines, protagonists of color in media, I get so excited. I remember seeing Marvel’s Black Panther in theaters for the first time with a friend, we were in complete awe. Both wondering, “Where was this when I was younger?!” Our eyes were practically glued to the screen as we were shown the different characters and environments of Wakanda. Black people came out in numbers to show support — nothing like that had really been done in major film before. Chadwick Boseman’s work left such a positive impact on the world; young black boys and girls were able to see themselves as leaders, royalty. The futuristic aspects of Wakanda shows children the endless possibilities of going into STEM. I want to contribute to that. It may sound very cheesy to some, but I honestly believe that fictional stories can have an impact on people. Characters can be role models, especially for children who don’t see themselves represented enough in media. I want to get better at my work so I can help add to these stories, so that maybe it can inspire more artists of color to do the same in the future. I also want to say thank you, Mr. Reynolds, for providing this great opportunity for artists. I feel that the arts are just as important to encourage as other fields; creatives are some of the coolest people that I've met! Art uplifts me as well as so many others... It's so important to keep that light going, especially now in this day and age.