Visual Arts/Graphic Arts

"Beginning this piece, I was unsure yet motivated to learn how to use charcoal. As a medium, it can be used to create beautiful, soft edges that reflect how humans truly look. We are not made of sharp lines, but rather of one connected configuration. That aspect was what I truly enjoyed seeing: the form of the portrait slowly coming together. While I did enjoy the learning process, at times I felt discouraged by how long charcoal takes to blend. When simply laying the material down, the texture of the paper was greatly emphasized, which of course is not the intended final product. I adapted to this change in approach and eventually came to find the prolonged process of blending both a satisfying and comforting one.

The subject of my piece is a good friend of mine, Allani. I knew I wanted the figure to be someone I was close with. Seeing her every day and being able to show her the progress of constructing her face from a blank sheet created a special kind of artistic process I had not experienced before. I’ve done self-portraits, and while I see myself in the mirror and on the canvas, it is not nearly as notable as portraying a friend. Having a close friend as my subject motivated me to continue working on this piece, no matter how discouraged I felt, just to ensure that I could honor such an enthusiastic muse." -Annabel Del Fabbro

"This acrylic piece is one of the most meaningful works I’ve created. I captured the uplifting energy of a popular Atlanta artist who helped shape the sound of the city I grew up in. His music carries honesty, ambition, and resilience, and his story reminds me that greatness can rise from familiar places.

In the painting, his joyful expression, upward gaze, and lively posture symbolize elevation and breakthrough. The doves surrounding him represent new beginnings and freedom, and the sky shifting from darkness to light mirrors the journey from struggle into clarity and hope, for both of us.

The process of creating this artwork was vigorous and enticing, and seeing the final piece come together was incredible. Every brushstroke, from deep shadows to bright highlights, was intentional, honoring his impact on Atlanta’s culture and connecting it to my own experience living here.

This piece reflects my growth as an artist and as a person. It stands as a visual statement of transformation, resilience, and the belief that no matter where you start, you can rise, evolve, and step boldly into your own light." -Kaiden Oliver

"Growing up, I hardly saw versatile representation of black girls and women like myself in movies, cartoons, art, and the beauty and fashion industry. Due to this, my art during earlier years reflected primarily white subjects. As my skills and knowledge have grown throughout the years, I've had the expanding realization that I could fix this lack of representation with my own artwork. To do so in this piece, I began adding and removing the background using Q-Tips to create an ongoing pattern similar to African fabrics while utilizing the highlights. The long individual bubble braids were crafted using toothpicks and a toothbrush to capture the roundness, natural flow of hair, and cultural influence of Africa. Finding the actual values of the Black woman's skin was the most complicated part because I had to balance the darkness of her black dress with her complexion. Nonetheless, I used several layers of paint using a rag to capture the perfect base and highlight color that accurately displays her as a brown skinned girl. By focusing on the colors, structures, and values of my subject—Black people—throughout this year, I will gain a better understanding of the colors within our skin on a larger spectrum and highlight the beauty of my people." -Qeyah Shears 

"Restrictions are experienced in every facet of life, including school, family, and even things as limitless as creating art. The burden of such restrictions has commonly been endured by women. I can recall times in my life when I heard my mother utter the words “I need to eat less,” or my grandmother smile at me and mention how she “ate too much.” Instinctively, I followed these ideas that food should be treated as an inconvenience. This idea was furthered through online exposure to women being praised for unattainably thin bodies. When asked how these women achieved their look, I would hear a common denominator in answers: “a diet.” Women all over the world struggle with restricting eating, including myself. Through elegant brushstrokes and intricate blending, I created a narrative that explores this often-complicated relationship with food. A focal point in the piece is the blue bowl held by the figure. By using the traditionally masculine color of blue, I was able to portray food as a facet of life that is for “men.” My fearful face looking into a blue bowl shows the rejection of food as a substantial aspect of my life. However, this facade falls away with the impactful addition of a pink bow entrapping my mouth. The pink bow, which is made up of a carefully contorted ribbon, represents feminine social norms. The bow is satin, which helps add to the layer of femininity that it represents because of how delicate it is, symbolizing how women are often viewed. The bow is sewn onto the canvas, another traditionally women-dominated field. This addition of the pink ribbon shows that even though I want to eat, society’s expectations for women truly restrict the action of eating in my life." -Hadley Crislip

"For this piece, I chose a photo from my 7th grade Honors Day, a moment when I received awards for visual arts. This experience was especially meaningful to me and marked a turning point in my artistic journey. It gave me a sense of ambition and boosted my confidence in my creative abilities.

To begin the drawing, I lightly sketched a grid to help with proportions. I used a wide range of graphite pencils to capture the texture and depth of the hair and skin. Throughout the process, I referred closely to my reference image to maintain accuracy. Instead of using a printed photo, I opted for a digital reference, which allowed me to zoom in and better identify subtle values and intricate details.

One of the biggest challenges I faced was rendering the values on the face. The tonal differences were very subtle, making it difficult to achieve the necessary variation. I also struggled with the details of the dress, particularly the lace and print, which were tricky due to their similar values and repetitive patterns. Despite these difficulties, I worked through them with patience and precision.

In the end, the piece turned out to be a success, reflecting both my growth and dedication as an artist." -Jackie Salazar