Sophomore Brayden Hawkins
So why do you create art?
I would say I create artwork because I [want] to make an influence on my sister, and also so [my art] can be shared with everybody. My sister [and I] are always making art together, [and] even though she is only five years old, she is still a superb artist for her age. I like to feel like I have taught her what she knows today. We usually paint and draw together, usually outside so we both don’t make a mess inside. It’s special [to me] because I [want] her to feel accomplished and good about her artwork.
What is your favorite art piece?
My favorite piece of work that I have seen so far Frida Kahlo’s self portrait. I feel like I connect to her in some way. She is so expressive with that piece [and I feel] that it resembles my own work as well.
What do you think an artistic outlook is?
[I think] an artistic outlook on life is being able to always see the silver lining in things and [trying to] never think about the bad things.
Isn’t that a hard mentality to keep?
It’s not to hard to keep that mentality because I know in the end it’s going to be what I want. I remember I always used to draw my friends for their birthdays or just if they wanted to be drawn. I am constantly fighting the battle against perfection — I will continue to work on a piece until it meets my standards; however, the best feeling is when you finally complete a piece and you’re proud of it.
What would be a dream project for you?
My dream project is to paint a giant mural with my friends at school or a location what would be seen by many. I hope to paint a huge mural because I have seen some around school, especially in the art hallway and I think it’s just so cool to leave your mark on something that will last for a long while. It attracts me because the main reason I do art is because the fun of it, and [painting] with my friends would be a huge, fun experience.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
My biggest inspiration is my friend Lydia Thompson. She is always giving me tips on how to perfect my artwork and she is way better than I’ll ever be. The thing about Lydia that inspires me so much is her expertise on everything she does and her determination. We just finished a project in art where she had no clue what she was doing, but by the end her project was one of the best in the class. She puts her mind to [whatever] she does and she executes it so well. I think it’s important for young artists to have mentors to look up to because it’s necessary to have  someone who will inspire them in the future and possibly help them find the career path they want to go into.[vc_empty_space][vc_empty_space][vc_empty_space][vc_empty_space]photos and video courtesy and property of Brayden Hawkins[button url=”https://www.bearingnews.org/category/ae/artists-of-rock-bridge/” target=”blank” style=”flat” background=”#2ea131″ color=”#ffffff” size=”5″ wide=”yes” center=”yes” radius=”10″ icon=”icon: arrow-right” icon_color=”#ffffff” text_shadow=”2px 2px 0px #6a6a6a” title=”Artists of Rock Bridge”]Click here to view more artists of Rock Bridge[/button]