Dripping with talent: junior demonstrates emotion through art

Excited about her new project for art class last year, Michelle Luo researched and brainstormed until she began to envision her next piece, a drawing of dripping water. 

Immediately she got to work on it every chance she had: art classes and free time at home. Luo started by sketching an outline, then she filled it in one square inch at a time, until finally it was complete. 

This year’s school planner cover is stunning, sporting beautiful artwork by the school’s very own students. Twenty pieces were hand-picked by the art teacher, Diana Vanry, and then four were chosen by the planner’s publishing company.  Luo was one of the four. The other students whose work was featured were Doris Hsu, Meeta Marathe and Luke Salin. 

Luo drew the black-and-white piece entitled “Water Droplets.” 

“I thought it would be cool, instead of sketching a scene, to do water droplets,” Luo said. “Drawing a huge water droplet is boring, so I decided to make like a time-frame thing.”

Luo began creating art when she was 4. She has been taking art classes both in and out of school since then. Originally her parents nudged her into art, but now she draws for her own love of the pastime.

“While doing [art], you can express your emotion. You don’t really feel stress from school work,” Luo said. 

She likes to sketch modeling shots, 3D works and pictures that are abstract and realistic at the same time. In addition to sketch work, Luo also does oil painting.

“I personally think I'm better at realistic sketches, but I like working with an oil medium more, because unlike with graphite pencils, you have more room to move around,” Luo said.

Mrs. Vanry is very proud of her student.

“She’s extremely talented and she works really hard in class getting her assignments done,” Vanry said.

Luo decides what she wants to draw by the emotions she wants to define. Her piece featured on the planner was inspired by sadness. 

“I wasn’t in a sad mood,” Luo said. “I just wanted to draw something sad because I’ve never worked with that [emotion].” 

Luo also wanted to incorporate water into the piece because of the challenge it brought. Her piece took two to three months to complete, finishing at 18” by 24.”

“All the artwork I do, I expect something beforehand and it comes out completely different,” Luo said. “But I like it in a way.”