Introducing our February Artist of the Month, Sarah Valenzuela!
When selecting an artist for Artist of the Month, Mrs. Savincki, who has Valenzuela in Art 2, divulges, “I look to see that the student has enough work for me to assess to make this decision. Most importantly though, I look for students who seem to enjoy what they are doing, work hard, and want to challenge themselves to think creatively and outside of the box.”
Valenzuela’s dedication to her craft is evident in her portfolio and sketchbook, which highlight her versatility in drawing, shading, color studies, and digital art. Mrs. Savincki explains, “She is able to take on the skills that need to be learned for a particular art unit, but also take the skills to the next level or personalize her work.”
Beyond her technical abilities, Valenzuela’s work ethic and passion for art set her apart. Mrs. Savincki remarks, “Sarah is very self-motivated and very professional in all that she does. She comes to class and if she’s done early, she’s continually sketching throughout the period. I feel like Sarah really puts thought into her work and that many of her works are personal to her. She is very skilled in drawing and challenges herself with new techniques.”
To Valenzuela, art is a way to appreciate the aesthetic and beauty behind interests, emotions, and the simplest encounters in everyday life. She prefers a more animated art style because character design is her primary focus and the aspect of drawing she enjoys most. In particular, Valenzuela is most proud of her watercolour landscape painting, “Although it is smaller than most of my works, I was glad that it came out well despite watercolour/painting not being my strongest suit.”
According to Valenzuela, “Being awarded AOTM means that I’ve improved my art skills and have developed an affinity toward using this class as a creative outlet. It is an honorable position which highlights your work ethic and innovation.” Although Valenzuela was surprised to hear her name announced, she feels extremely grateful to be recognized with this honor.
Congratulations, Sarah!
