Mariana Hernandez Barajas, Guanajuato, acrylic, $300
Mariana Hernandez Barajas
Soledad High School
Senior
When it comes to my pieces I learned that I don't necessarily go in with emotions rather I go in with my imagination and what can go on from there.
For me it’s almost a challenge to make something out of nowhere, that being on my hand with a pen, from the corner of my school work or the side of my dresser by my bed. I tend to see the possibility of art almost everywhere I go. Which inspires me to go on and make as many pieces as I'd like for as long as I like.
My main mediums have been acrylics and pencil, though I’ve been open to using many others such as watercolors, ink, oil pastels, charcoal to name a few. Throughout the years I’ve been more pulled towards objective realism, that coming from what I see from day to day. I also enjoy drawing animation stemming from anime, a less serious style compared to realism for me.
With this current piece it quickly came to me that I really wanted to draw something a bit personal without seeming obvious. This view is one I get to see not often, so I wanted to make it in a way permanent. It’s a stairway near my home in Mexico where most of my family is from. A challenge I faced when painting this piece was working with the lighting and the darkness of the shadows while using acrylic paint. But I'll say I overcame an obstacle I’ve been trying to avoid in my journey with art. As I was working on this piece I learned that mixing acrylic with water eased the process of working with the material of acrylic. I’m hoping to convey some form of tranquility and goodwill.