This month’s artist is senior Sophia Jiang.

What type of artwork do you do?

I don’t really have a particular type of art I do. I tend to work across mediums and let my creativity run free. I am very grateful to be able to have access to a plethora of different materials and two teachers that have their own diverse art backgrounds at [Wayland High School].

How did you get into art?

I spent my first five years of life in China with my grandmother. There, I grew a fascination towards her intricate crafts like seed beading, embroidery and crocheting. Through other ordinary activities like pinching folds on dumplings, squeezing out doodles from ketchup bottles and folding paper cranes, I was able to understand my love for craftsmanship and start taking classes.

Why do you enjoy art?

I enjoy art because it acts as my outlet for social advocacy, personal expression and love for the people around me. When I create, I am able to reflect upon my emotions and view it in a different form. It almost becomes a coping mechanism, allowing me to feel what I feel, think what I think, and say what I want to say.

How have you been involved in art at WHS?

Currently, I am the vice president of [National Art Honors Society] and the president of the art club here at WHS. Despite having transferred only two years ago, I’ve been able to have the opportunity to take classes with both Ms. O’Connell and Ms. Latimer. This year, due to scheduling difficulties, I am continuing my passion through an independent study.

What is your favorite piece of art you’ve made?

My favorite piece of art I’ve made was an installation titled “Fruit of a Mother, Pith of a Daughter.” My mother and I used to have a very rocky relationship, so I decided to create this piece to act as a love letter to her. Because saying ‘I love you’ is so taboo in our household, I have come to the realization that she expresses it through actions instead, [like] peeling oranges. And so, I wanted to reciprocate that through my art by making paper mache oranges.

In school, my favorite piece of art I’ve made was a mixed media still-life study I made in Art 2. I ended up titling it “Pretty Messy” because it reflected the way my mind works as someone who has ADHD. With four different mediums—collage, colored pencil, graphite and acrylic painting—it seems chaotic. However, I was able to transform this mess into something kinda pretty, making it very comforting for me.

What do you like to make your art out of?

My favorite medium is either acrylic painting or fiber arts, but I like to experiment with unconventional things. In the past, I have incorporated recycled materials like old chip bags, loofahs and tiny scraps of paper to show how beauty can come from discarded materials.

Where do you find inspiration for your art?

Most of my inspiration comes from gratitude. For me, I can’t bring myself to create a piece unless it is for someone or something. In the past I have made many pieces regarding the environment. Currently, with the ebb and flow of being a teenage girl, most of my pieces stem from appreciation for my family, my friends and myself.

How has your art style changed over the years?

My art style has not changed much. I have always been very detail oriented, so I let the intricacies carry through in my pieces. Recently I have been trying to work on larger canvases to allow myself to ‘loosen up’ and find perfection in the imperfections.