“My name is Ana Bustos. I have lived in Okeechobee as long as I can remember. I have never excelled at school and I have always felt under pressure to meet people’s expectations. Art helped me move past that and grow as an individual. I feel like the only time I actually do what I want and take in account of how I feel is though art. The mediums I use are pastels, watercolor and oil. I lean towards these because I am a soft person emotionally so these mediums help me flow better when working. I believe art is a form of meditation for me and the day I stop feeling is the day I stop making art.”
“My name is Ariana Diaz-Jaime, I am 16 years old. I am from Puerto Rico and I arrived in Okeechobee on August 2, 2018. I have dedicated 16 years of life to the arts, I am addicted to the arts and I love spending my time doing things related to art. My old school specialized in arts and I could be part of each specialty: singing, dancing, theater and drawing. My favorite area of concentration is drawing and painting. I like to use my creativity, I enjoy using watercolors. My expectations in this new year is to improve my techniques every day and become a professional in what I love.”
“My name is Julie. I am 18 and have loved to draw for as long as I can remember. Art is the freedom to express the things you feel without having to say them out loud. My favorite art style is character designs & illustrations, usually featuring some kind of fantasy element & a childlike feel. I enjoy using pencils & ink to sketch and markers & watercolors to give bright and loose pigments to my pieces. Some of my art has been described as having a 90’s pop-culture feel and some has been described as charming & cutesy. A majority of my works fluctuate in style as a result of my inability to find satisfaction in a single way of drawing. The way my pieces look almost always depends on the atmosphere I am in, my current mood/emotion, and just how adventurous I am feeling.”
“Hello my name is Addison Laskey I am seventeen years old. I go to Okeechobee High School and I am now a junior. I live with my two older brothers and parents. I’ve drawn/painted for most of my life. My favorite medium is oil/watercolor and favorite method of painting is mostly figurative. I enjoy meaning and representation and deep messages behind painting. I love nature but also city light.”
“My name is Jasmin Santana, 16, born and raised in Florida. Since I’ve moved to Okeechobee I’ve taken a bigger leap in my motivation into my art pieces. My favorite medium to use is pen, I feel that using pen provides me to think on the spot if I make mistakes and create them to be a part of the piece; as well in love with the sketchy appeal. I’ve always been a lover of arts, and although I get frustrated, I’m glad to pursue my passion to share my art.”
“My name is Jordyn Shreves. I was born in Sebring, FL. All my life I’ve been creative in some form including makeup and fashion. Recently I’ve been voicing my feelings through art. I have not been an artist for too long. I’d say I have been painting and drawing for a year now. I have much to learn and whether I make something of it or not I will always continue to voice my emotions and ideas through whatever I feel is best. It is important to be your own individual. Nobody will ever be just like you."
“I grew up in Florida without traveling much. My work is influenced by other cultures & traditions. My work exhibits important and influential figures. I study humanity and the roles within society. To emphasize the impact of my art I use gold leaf as a medium. There are many common motifs within the work. As a whole, my work explores the idea of expansion & growth. As a child I remember observing people and their interaction within the environment. The idea of how influence impacts one so strongly. The medium used is acrylic and oil paint. I use acrylic as a way to express the strokes and free use. The choice to paint is to exhibit the piece in a way that shows thought.”
“My name is Brooke Whaley, I am 17 years old and a junior at OHS. I have lived in Okeechobee my entire life with my aunt, uncle and grandmother. I have always loved art and drawing. I’ve drawn and painted for as long as I can remember. I am an animal lover and everything I draw or paint is mostly always animal related. For my concentration I’m doing the red tide and how it affects animals and the environment. I love to paint with acrylics and oils, usually because of how thick it can be put on and I don’t have to keep painting over it to make it look the way I want.”
“My name is Jordyn Shreves. I was born in Sebring, FL. All my life I’ve been creative in some form including makeup and fashion. Recently I’ve been voicing my feelings through art. I have not been an artist for too long. I’d say I have been painting and drawing for a year now. I have much to learn and whether I make something of it or not I will always continue to voice my emotions and ideas through whatever I feel is best. It is important to be your own individual. Nobody will ever be just like you.