Junior Amy Cha shares her experiences with art both inside and outside of school. Having been involved with art since her time at Gorrie Elementary School, Cha hopes to stay invested in her artwork in college and beyond.   

Q: When did your interest in art start? How did it start? 

A: “When I was younger, I used to take art classes at the local community center. I think that my interest truly started in elementary with Ms. Barmore at Gorrie. At that time, I would sign up for after school clubs like the backstage crew where we would make props for the school plays or the Doodad competition where we’d submit sculptures of repurposed items like cigar boxes. Either way, art class became my favorite throughout elementary school.” 

Q: Which medium or media do you use for your art? 

A: “Most of the time it’s usually pencil and paper, but for pieces with color I tend to use acrylic paint or gouache.” 

Q: Has your artistic style evolved over time? How? 

A: “When I look back at some of my sketches that I did a few years ago, it’s weird to see how my style changed. I think when it comes to pencil and paper, I’ve become more stylized in the way I draw people rather than realistic. My style with color is kind of the opposite. I haven’t painted for a long time, so the evolution of my paintings isn’t really apparent.” 

Q: Which artists would you say have inspired you and influenced your work most? 

A: “I really like Cezanne or Matisse because of their perspective and use of color. I also like Modigliani because of his consistent depiction of faces. There’s always a familiarity to his portraits but with a slightly off-putting sense because of the surrealistic face.” 

Q: Have you taken any art classes at Plant? What do you think off the artistic environment here and how has it fostered your work? 

A: “I haven’t taken any art classes at Plant unfortunately, but I do believe that the artistic environment is very open and welcoming to anybody. I think that because Plant is so developed with its art community that it enables me to have more confidence in my pieces without any hesitation because I haven’t taken any art classes.” 

Q: How have you been involved in the greater artistic community of Tampa Bay? 

A: “I haven’t been involved in the artistic community in Tampa, but I do hope to be involved in the near future.” 

Q: Do you feel as though the pandemic has shaped your work in any way? How? 

A: “I think the pandemic has provided some time to really find my style and comfort in art without any rush. It was during the pandemic that I started to paint and experiment with color theory.” 

Q: What role do you see art playing in your future? Do you have any goals regarding your work? 

A: “I always hope to stay invested in my art whether or not it’s for academic or leisure. I hope to pursue more in art in college than I have in high school. I guess my main goal is to continue to improve myself and stay motivated.”