Artists of Feehan

All artists are defined differently. Everyone can be an artist through a different lens, whether it be painting, poetry, or music. Artistic minds are all around us. I decided to interview a few of the most talented artists at Feehan: Chelsy Mazariegos, Maia Hudak, Margot Bedau, and Sofia Jivoin.

I asked Chelsy about which medium was her favorite. She explained, “I think I’d say color pencil. By sharpening the pencils super well, you can get really good control and detail, as well as an even texture. If you buy the right brand, the pencils can be super vibrant and easy to blend. It’s pretty forgiving and not super messy, unlike some other mediums like watercolor or marker.”

Maia had a differentiating opinion, sharing, “ My favorite mediums to use are acrylic and watercolor. I like acrylic because it’s versatile and allows me to build layers and add detail, while watercolor allows for softer effects.”

Margot has a similar idea on acrylics, she expresses, “My favorite medium is definitely acrylic. I love how the paint dries quickly, which allows for many layers to go over each other and create new and unique colors!”

Sofia introduces a medium not discussed yet, “My favorite medium has got to be a classic black in pen. I love designing characters, and crisp Lin art always makes them look cool. One of my favorite artists, Kim Jung Gi, does unique pen illustrations that have inspired me to work on some of my own. I also like lineart over watercolor, it distinguishes one color from another and makes them pop.” To view his portfolio and further explore Kim Jung Gi press the following link: Kim Jung Gi

Chelsy also introduces an artist she is very inspired by, “I’m inspired by many artists from all over. One of my favorites is J.C. Leyendecker, an American freelance commercial artist who did work like designing covers for the Saturday Evening Post. I find that his style is warm and crisp and showcases such expert understanding of color theory to communicate feeling and form. His work is very beautiful!” To explore J.C. Leyendecker’s work, press this link: Joseph Christian Leyendecker 

I then ask what their style preferences are. Chelsy shares “Stylized realism. I like making pieces that are grounded in reality, but play with shapes and hues. I especially enjoy this style with fluid body compositions.” Maia had a similar view, explaining, “My favorite art style is realism because I enjoy focusing on details and creating artwork that looks true to life.” Margot introduces a different style: “My favorite art style is surrealism because while the art is still tied to reality, it also allows for imagination to take over the style. I personally do not like to draw strictly realism because I like incorporating my own personal style.”

I asked Sofia what made her especially passionate about art. She had a very intellectual response, sharing, “Art can convey an entire story through one image. People from different nationalities can gaze upon a masterpiece and marvel at it all the same. Art is also beautiful, of course, and sometimes the most captivating artwork is produced by the most tormented artist. Art evokes empathy, taking the burden of one person’s tragedy and compelling others to feel it too. I can be unsure of something, but when I paint it, the thoughts organize and become concrete. I love it when my art has an impact on others or when they interpret it in a meaningful way. I guess overall, it gives so much meaning to my life.” If there were a way to define art, Sofia’s explanation would be it.

I asked about Chelsy’s favorite pieces, she shared, “I’m super fond of this color pencil piece, which is a study on reflections — and a triple self portrait! I later added some fun doodles in the background on my iPad. I call it ‘Me Times Three.’” View this piece to the right! Margot explained, “If I had to pick a favorite piece (which I do not have), it would probably be my piece titled ‘Pondering Eyes.” This piece has importance to me because it was my first-ever body-composition painting, where the main focus wasn’t a face. This marked the next step in my artistic journey!” View this piece to the right! Maia’s favorite piece (to the right) is explained as “My favorite piece I’ve created is a study of fruits that I saw in a local market during the Bishop Feehan Spain field trip. It reminds me of that experience and captures a moment that felt meaningful and inspiring to me.”

Finally, I asked Sofia if she had always been interested in art or if something specific sparked her passion. She responded, “Since I was a child, I’ve told stories through the music I write and pictures I paint. However, I’ve never been that passionate about it until this year in AP art. This year truly opened my eyes to all the possibilities that art gives me to tell my stories.”