Art is a very personal experience and means of expression. This month I will be sharing snippets of an interview with a young artist at C.A.S.A. Middle School in the Bronx, Veronica Johnson. Veronica is is a quiet girl with a quick mind. She has a confidence and ease that is rare in 8th graders. She expresses herself through her art by using various mediums and styles to convey meaning and emotion. Her goal is to pursue her art in high school and as a career.

Her interest in art began at a very early age. Although she recognized that she had some skill, she was shy about showing her work. She has since overcome her shyness. She was very fortunate to have access to training from various programs including programs at the Moshulu Center and the Bronx Museum of Art. She credits these programs will helping her to hone her skills and expand her range.

What materials do you prefer to use?
Veronica works with sketching pencils, oil pastels, charcoals and colored pencils. She selects her tools to enhance her work, using pencils and charcoals for sketching and landscapes and pastels for more colorful pieces.

What kind of support do you get from home, school, peers?
Veronica credits Ms. Janelle, an art teacher in the afterschool program with inspiring her and providing her with ideas. She also credits her parents with supporting her emotionally and making sure she has the supplies that she needs. She is grateful that her friends also support and admire her work. They recognize that she is an artist.

Is there a piece of art that makes you think wow?
“The Scream makes me think, wow, because it’s a beautiful background, but the poor man upfront is screaming in terror, filled with so much pain and it makes me wonder, what can possibly be going on?” She admires how it can be confusing, frightening and beautiful at the same time.

What do you find most challenging?
“What I find most challenging is drawing the the picture how I want it from my head. This is difficult considering that doing it from my head takes a lot of time and concentration. I do the best I can, but it usually doesn’t come out exactly as I see it in my mind.”

Where do you get your inspiration from?
“I get most of my inspiration from the music I listen to. I enjoy listening to dubstep and other electronic music that really has a strong bass and catchy beat. When I listen to this type of music, all I think about is color. As an artist, I have trouble thinking of something to draw but I am up for anything. I love to try new things and draw things that I consider majestic. I don’t like to continuously draw the same thing. I usually draw from my mind, which is always so colorful and unique from other artists.”

What does creating art provide for you?
“Creating art provides an escape for me and it just calms me down. Whenever I draw something amazing, I feel happiness, but concentrated at the same time. Drawing also allows me to make my own decisions and create my own world.”

Finish this sentence: Art is….
“Art is whatever you want it to be.”