Student Spotlight – The Art of Audrey Alexander

What’s your favorite medium to work with?

I like colored pencils because they’re rich in pigment and very smooth so I can blend color more easily.

What’s your favorite thing to draw?

 

I like to draw things from real life. I usually get inspired by something around me. I drew Donald Trump recently because of all the controversy during the election. Faces are fun for me to draw because they have a lot of emotion and detail.

Why is art important to you?

Art visually expresses the things you can’t sometimes say in words. I once had to draw a self-portrait that could not be realistic-looking; it had to be symbolic. I chose to draw a wolf inside a profile of myself because that image visually represented who I am.

What artist inspires you the most?

My favorite artist is Leonardo DaVinci, but I also like a contemporary impressionist artist named Leonid Afremov. His art is abstract but more beautiful than realistic art in my opinion because of his use of color. They are colors you don’t find in real life and they capture emotion. It really gets your attention. I follow his work on Instagram. I was very excited when he recently followed me back!

What inspires your art?

I love the beauty of realistic art. I’ll never achieve perfection because the things God originally created are already perfect. Every 2D painting is trying to get as close as you can to God’s 3D work. I’m inspired also by nature, people, and the beauty around me.

Can you tell us more about your thoughts on beauty and imperfection in your art?

Just because something has imperfections doesn’t mean it isn’t still beautiful. Sometimes the most beautiful things are broken. There’s a story behind every flaw. I think that makes things more beautiful. When I’m drawing people, there are a lot of details in a face that some people would call an ‘imperfection’ or a ‘flaw’ which might be a wrinkle or something like that. I think those ‘flaws’ are part of how God created them and that is what makes them beautiful and unique.

Have you won any awards for your art?

I took 2nd place in The Press Enterprise’s annual art contest as a freshman. My art was on display at the Riverside Art Museum. I plan to submit something again this year.  I won a few ribbons at WCSS. When I was in 6th grade, I won a contest among people in Riverside County to design a patch for the Heritage House historic museum. (Editor’s Note: Audrey won 1st place at the The Press Enterprise Riverside County High School Art Show for Top Drawing In Color.)

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I’m not sure yet if I’ll pursue art as a career. I would really like to be doing something creative that combines my interests in science and engineering. Maybe I’ll start a business and invent things that could change the world.