SHS art class featured for the library artist of the month

Every month the Strathmore library features an artist of the month, which is usually just one artist. However, this time they're taking a unique approach, as the Strathmore High School art class will be featured, rather than just one specific artist.

Among the artists featured is Jersey Quewezance, and she said her preferred art styles are realism and abstract. Blending these two different styles gives her art a unique flair that helps it stand out from the crowd. She said combining these two elements to create surrealist work is one of the standout qualities of her art.

"With surrealism, there are details that you wouldn't normally see in a photo like real art, there's different colors or different proportions, just incorporating a lot of different details," she said. 

An example of Jersey's art, this piece is untitled.

Another way she blends the styles together is through "trash-polka," and she explains "The whole idea of that is to have the main bold color of red and then a realism subject, and then you can add all of these different red splashes and splatters and details all around it and it all comes together as a piece with the realism subject being the focus."

Jessica St. Croix is another student featured at the library, who primarily focuses on realism but said she enjoys experimenting with many different mediums. 

"I just like to make it look visually interesting and something that I would like to hang up in my room or something, just make it look more lively," she said. 

"Not so Great" by Jessica St. Croix, this piece has already sold but remains on display at the library as of May 9

While Quewezance's art leans more heavily into abstract and surrealist motifs, St. Croix goes in the opposite direction, saying her main goal is usually realism and making things look like photos. She explained she's interested in math and science, so she has a similar approach to art where she wants things to be very exact and precisely as she imagined it.

"If it looks like a real photo then I know that it's complete. That's the end goal, to look as realistic as possible."

St. Croix said she likes to experiment with different mediums, which can be seen in this piece

As for their futures, both artists know they'll want art in their lives as they move forward, but aren't sure what exactly it will look like. St. Croix is considering going into architecture, as she says this combines her love of art and mathematics. Even if she doesn't pursue architecture she knows she wants art to remain in her life one way or another. As for Quewezance, she hopes to be a tattoo artist, which may be full-time or a side job. For Quewezance, tattoo art holds special significance that other mediums can't replicate. 

"Making your body a work of art is something that would be really important to someone who's artistic and just wants something to tell a story on them. A tattoo, it'll stay on you forever, it'll represent something on you forever, and it's really symbolic and really important to have something like that," Quewezance said.

You can see their work and several other students' work at the Strathmore Library.

This piece was done by another art student, Paige Bueckert

Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@strathmorenow.com