Senior Artist Spotlight: Samantha Keefe

Who is Samantha Keefe?

I am 18 years old and a senior at Oliver Ames High School! I have two older brothers and live with my mom and dad!

What does Samantha like?

I love chicken tenders and mint chocolate chip ice cream! I actually work at an ice cream shop, so I get lots of samples!

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

I have been drawing for as long as I can remember! I would always draw little family portraits and they would be hung up on the refrigerator! My aunt still has birthday cards from at least 10 years ago filled with my drawings! I also went to an art camp for about 5 years and took art classes every week sophomore year.

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

My older brother used to draw when he was younger, and he has given it up since then, but I remember always looking at his drawing and wanting to draw just like him. I would hang up his pictures in my room and thought he was the best artist ever! I love thinking back on this because he does not realize how big of an impact he has made on my life with his little doodles and drawings.

What is your favorite medium? Why?

My favorite medium in colored pencil! I feel like colored pencils are so flexible, and you can really do anything with them. I am also a really big fan of color, and I love how it can help to express the emotion behind the piece.

What do you like most about being an artist?

I love being able to look back at my past artwork throughout the years and see how far I have come. I also love how excited my parents and family get when they see my pieces. Whenever my parents are with their friends they will always text me “hey can you send me pictures of your project?” I love how proud they are of me; they really are my biggest fans!

Where do you see art in your future?

I will be majoring in fashion merchandising in college! Although it is not specifically an art major, it requires you to be very creative, which I have gained over the past years from art!

What does your art mean to you?

Art means a lot to me. Art allows me to not only express myself, but it also allows me to take a break from the real world and escape for a few hours. I have always been a shy person, but art allows me to say what I want to say without actually using words.

What are you working on now?

Right now, I am working on a charcoal self portrait! This is really fun because I used to always draw portraits of my mother and grandmother when I was younger. It's crazy to put the two next to each other and see how much I have really grown as an artist.

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

I have done multiple pieces that have involved flowers. I think they are so beautiful and so unique. I have done an up close study of a flower with colored pencils. This allowed me to really see the details of each individual petal. I have also done an oil painting holding a bouquet of flowers. Doing these in different mediums is also really fun because I get to show certain details that maybe wouldn’t have stood out as much otherwise.

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

My favorite piece I have ever created is my up close study of a flower!

Sum up your art style in three words.

Fun, Expressive, Creative

Where do you get your ideas?

I always try to be unique with my ideas, but past Oliver Ames art students have definitely inspired me to think out of the box and be creative. I strive to be great just like them!