What story are you telling in Perfect Imperfections, above?
The figures in the painting represent all of us. The idea is that all people have differences and imperfections, but those flaws make us beautiful. I included words from a poem about imperfections. You can’t read all the words, but you know they’re there. I painted them on the page randomly, so it’s a cool coincidence that one of the words you do see is perfect.
What was your working process?
I started with a blank sheet of white paper. Then I chose pink and blue paints for the background. I painted the words from the poem onto the page, without a plan for how they would look in the end. Then I started sketching the figures. I drew the figures with a watercolor pencil. Then I ran a paintbrush with a little bit of water over the lines. Finally, I added tissue paper—the dark-blue polka dots and zigzags—to introduce some pattern.
Which artists inspire you?
I had a chance to visit New York and see paintings by Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh, which was really cool. I just like how abstract and loose their artwork is. I love the fact that their paintings can look really messy but unified at the same time. Why did you add lace, pearls, and yarn?
Do you have advice for other teen artists?
It’s fairly simple: Make sure you’re having fun. And if you’re ever experiencing a block, just take a step back, maybe wait a day or two, and then get back into the work. What you’re doing should really speak to you—and not necessarily to others. You have to love what you’re doing.