Sophomore Jiwon Yu

What piece are you submitting?

I am planning to submit… a colored pencil piece, and it’s a famous portrait of Frida Kahlo, the hispanic artist.

Could you describe it?

I am not doing it realistically, but this piece is—it’s like a different texture. I’m trying something new; the colors will be mixed up. I’m using a variety of colors to show how I view the portrait.

Why were you inspired to create this?

I just thought about how hard it must have been for a girl who’s my age to go through such pain and know you won’t be able to bear kids. I think that’s really traumatizing, and I wanted to portray the confusion in her life and the feeling (of being) a little stuck.

What do you like about art?

I like how (art) is independent, so I don’t have to depend on anyone else to work on art. I can just be by myself, listening to music in my room working on art. For example, in orchestra, you have to know that people know that parts and that you all harmonize together. With art, you’re responsible for your own actions, and it’s your own personal time.

What inspired you to start doing art?

My sister, Kelly—she was a big influence on me. She was always getting awards and almost teaching me how to draw… She played a lot of influence on me, and I always thought I wanted to be like her or better than her. My mom, she likes to draw for fun, and she exposed me to art when I was young, but she had art shows on her own; it was a hobby.