I’m Alejandro Flores, a 16-year-old attending Seaside High School. I enjoy pottery and being able to have friends who enjoy it with me too. I have hobbies like playing volleyball, hanging out with friends, being adventurous, finding new things to enjoy, and spending quality time with my family.

The opportunity to participate in this art gallery show has been a wonderful and exciting experience, especially since it’s my first time. My art project is called “Drowning in the Waves”. It’s about capturing the feeling of being overwhelmed and unable to breathe, like being underwater. I want to share these emotions through my art and offer hope and resilience in the face of struggles.

Throughout this project, I challenged myself to create something beyond my comfort zone. Trying to become a ceramics artist and being here for three years, I never dared to create anything larger than the size of my hand. At first, creating something big seemed scary, and I felt unprepared for the project. However, I embraced the challenge, pushed myself beyond my limits, and achieved something that I can be proud of. Looking back, my 13-year-old self would never have imagined that I could create something of this scale. This experience has taught me that I can achieve things if I put my mind to it and has given me the passion to continue my artistic skills. I enjoyed working with pottery and clay; my teacher’s kindness made this possible. I plan to do more things like this and grow as a person.