Spotlight on the Arts

Julian Keeney - Plains High School

by Kristen Cole, Art Teacher

Jullian Keeney, a 16-year-old sophomore at Plains High School, has been making art all her life. Her parents describe her drawing at such a young age that she does not even recall it. She was fascinated with drawing birds, horses, and cats. She says she would draw and scribble on almost anything she could find, including the walls of her house. Keeney's mother was an early influence on her artistic talents, so drawing on anything and everything was just part of developing her talent.

As with many student artists, Keeney has worked in many mediums. She recognizes, however, there are many more for her to try. Her favorite is graphite pencil, especially mechanical pencils because their very fine points enable her to capture a variety of details. Her second favorites are regular pencil and pens, with watercolor painting ranking third.

Keeney hopes to increase the level of realism in her work. As for her future, she plans to pursue a career in the arts, including possibilities of being a tattoo artist and/or a fashion designer. She wants to learn how to work with Gouache painting because it is so vibrant with color, and it appears to flow so naturally with artists who have made videos of their process.

Keeney spends most of her time sketching and drawing. In addition to artwork created in class, when she gets home, she spends hours sketching, every day of every week. She is inspired by improving her artwork, including her ability to capture details as well as developing her overall personal style. She is always pushing her boundaries and exploring new approaches to her artwork. Music also plays a role in creating an inspiring environment. Her choices of music are varied, including songs from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, as well as enjoying some old and new rock and roll.

When advising anyone interested in developing their own talent, she recommends lots of practice, which should not be burdensome if a person enjoys the creative process. She adds, it is okay to get frustrated with yourself when things do not progress as you had hoped. But every piece of artwork has progress in its background, so don't give up!

In addition to encouragement from her mother, Keeney's younger sister is also a source of support, as are several friends. She also gains encouragement from seeing the works of Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh. The technology of today brings the work of many famous artists to those interested in seeing it.

"Spotlight on the Arts" by The Paradise Center honors and encourages students in the arts by highlighting their talent and acknowledging the support they receive through their schools and teachers.