Senior Artist Spotlight: Emma Lawson

Who is Emma Lawson?

I’m 17 years old and a senior, and I have one younger brother who is a freshman.

What does Emma like?

I love pepperoni calzones and ice cream (my favorite is Phantomberry--black raspberry base with cookie swirls and brownie chunks mixed in). My favorite artists would have to be Monet and Van Gogh, though I do love a variety of art styles.

How did you become an artist? How long have you been practicing?

I really haven’t been creating art for that long in the grand scheme of things. In 2015, I got an iPod and started messing around by taking photos of the crocuses and flowers around my neighborhood. My Dad has always loved photography, and I really was influenced by his advice and encouragement. In 2016, I started copying faces and dresses that I found on Pinterest, but it wasn't a very serious hobby. As the years went on, I kept taking photos and drawing cards for my family members, so my love for art grew. In 2017, I got a miniature point-and-shoot camera that I lugged around whenever my family traveled, and my skills in photography really improved after basically taking photos for a week straight. The moment when art became a real interest of mine was during Sophomore year, when I quit band and chorus to join the art program.

What inspires your work and creative philosophy? Is there anyone or anything in your life that has influenced your art or creative vision?

In general, I’m influenced by the style of famous artists, like Georgia O’Keefe and Artemisia Gentileschi, as well as my personal experiences. My Dad and his style of photography has really influenced my outlook on art. He always told me to “look at things from a different perspective,” and all of my photos are influenced by that mindset.

What is your favorite medium? Why?

My favorites are colored pencil, graphite pencil, ink, oil, photography, collage, gouache, and watercolor.

What do you like most about being an artist?

Art frustrates me and excites like nothing else. I like to joke that there is always a point on each project where I want to throw my piece out just because I am disappointed in what I have created. Usually though, I am proud of the growth I have made in just a few years, and am very happy with how my final projects turn out.

Where do you see art in your future?

In college, I want to major in Graphic Design, which is another form of art that focuses on visual communication.

What does your art mean to you?

I use art to explore a sense of self, to project my imagination onto paper. I tend to draw a lot of self-portraits, which is a bit strange because it means I have to stare at my own face for a few hours on end. But art is a form of discovery--a way to see the world from a different perspective. Believe me, if you have to look at anything for a long period of time, capture it on a page, you will look at that object in a completely different way. It's amazing how much our eyes gloss over so much of the beauty in the world, how we take it for granted. In a way, art focuses my thoughts, forces me to take my time and truly explore a concept or object.

What are you working on now?

Currently, I am working on a charcoal portrait of my father and a landscape inspired by Van Gogh.

Is there a certain theme you tend to portray in your artwork?

There is no one particular theme that I tend to portray. Over the summer though, I created a series of works dealing with family and my memories of the past, and I really loved how my creative boundaries were pushed. I may do a similar series of works this summer as well.

What's your favorite piece you've ever created?

I don’t think I could choose just one, but I am proud of my up-close study and some of the work I created over the summer because of the effort and creativity I put into them.

Sum up your art style in three words.

Vibrant, Bold, Personal