Every Little Scribble

Lynn explores the positives and negatives of using art for a coping mechanism with Esperansa Morales.

Every little scribble

By Lynn Thompson

A close-up of the finer details of a painting Lynn Thompson created: “Every little scribble counts.”Picture taken by Lynn Thompson

Art has been around since cavemen roamed the Earth, leading the evolution of fine arts into what it is today. Art has been used for years to express human feelings and to communicate issues around the world. Some students, and many other people, use art to heal and express themselves. To relieve stress or for a hobby, many use fine arts.

Esperansa Morales is a freshman at Grants Pass High School who took Exploratory Art. Esperansa states, “I don’t know what was harder: That class, or my childhood,” as she had not previously experienced critiquing of her work. Using humor alongside her drawing, Esperansa expresses herself with the fine tip of a pencil. She shares that art is her thing to turn to when times start to get tough. The artist stated,“I don’t know what I’d do at night when I can’t sleep. Stare at the ceiling?” Art is a healing factor for Esperansa, but healing is not always painless.

A failing grade is placed on an art piece that was worked on for two weeks. Picture taken by Lynn Thompson

Esperansa also shared that, sometimes, she experiences stress from art itself. Esperansa has admitted to stressing herself out over what to draw, what everyone might think, and what was even the point if no one was going to see it. “It’s not a constant for me at times. Sometimes the ceiling is the answer,” Esperansa mentioned, alongside her happiness for the activity. The artist added, “It’s not fun when you’re doing it for a grade.” Esperansa mentioned feeling sad about the grades she received for art pieces sometimes. Sometimes, art was not always the answer for her mental health.

Even if taking an art class was not the answer for Esperansa, having work critiqued makes many individuals stronger. An art class and even a critique could be a positive gateway for many students.

Dealing with burnout, colored pencils left unused begin collecting dust. Picture taken by Lynn Thompson

Sources:

Interview with Esperansa Morales, GPHS Freshman
Photos taken by Lynn Thompson
"Every little Scribble" painting created by Lynn Thompson
All photos taken by Lynn Thompson

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