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2-D Design
Celeste Rodriguez​
White Station High School​|Memphis, Tennessee​
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Fresh|15 x 14 in. Material(s): Acrylic paint on canvas Process(es): Observation, mixed paint colors to match the true colors and used a stipple brush to further blend​
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“Towards the end of my investigation, I realized how important our interactions are with the produce we eat and how it impacts our daily lives.”​
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Student
statement

Every day we walk through our lives performing activities with a glimpse of a machine; without ever thinking twice. As a young artist, I wanted to shed light on the life that we most often forget the importance of food. I specifically decided on fresh produce because of the vibrant colors and textures that our eyes are so used to seeing but, at times, never appealing. With each piece of artwork, my mind was filled with all the ways fresh produce helps us to live, to thrive. It is the energy that helps us do so. It is what our bodies deserve. As I continued to marvel at the simplicity of it, I strived to challenge myself to find different ways to best showcase how complex it can be. This includes focusing on the interior of produce; using produce in our everyday activities, like walking through grocery stores and seeing the food piled together. Finally, in how we interact with the produce, like preparing a meal. I personally experimented with both prism colors and acrylic paint, and I ultimately enjoyed acrylic paint because of the opacity and vibrancy of the colors. Acrylic paint gave me the ability to completely match and elevate the colors to my preference. It allowed me to fully develop my pieces and do more than just the word food could mean with every stroke of my brush. This helped me truly showcase the abundant colors in produce that come from all around our world. Every piece I worked on required a different strategy because each product was unique in the same way we are uniquely made. Everyone has similar features that can be atoned to the human race, but it is the small varying details that make us truly unique to ourselves. As an artist, my goal was to captivate this with food. They all have their own unique pattern and texture that separates them apart. While certain foods may be pleasing to others, others might believe the opposite, but at day's end, food will either be consumed, thrown out, or taken back into the earth. The same can be said for us. It is easy to get lost in a fast-paced society. Nevertheless, it is best to slow down and look at your surroundings. We generally don't ponder fresh produce, yet it is key to unlocking a new form of living. It is human nature.
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Celeste Rodriguez​
My teacher continuously encourages me and the other students to grasp onto an idea that truly interests us. Choosing the right topic for your investigation is the key to success and failure. With each attempt, no matter the result, we continue to grow as young artists in the world. The measure of it cannot be mistaken whether someone chooses to dictate one’s art as either success or failure; because as long as we learn and we create, we cannot truly fail. My teacher always gave constructive criticism, which helped me elevate my artwork. I considered each piece of advice I received for my next artwork. This led me to a point where I could tell myself what needed to be done to fully encompass my idea. Ultimately, it helped me grow as an artist. My school principal helped me as an artist by supporting my teacher's teaching style. My teacher lets the students take control of their work and simply guides them to success, with little intervention to let the students grow on their own. My advice for other AP Art and Design students would be to choose a topic you are genuinely interested in. Although times can be tough while creating your artwork, the best way to have fun is by experimenting with your topic. Experimenting does not have to mean changing the medium but also changing your point of view or the scale on which you work. The most important piece of advice is to have fun. There are no boundaries to art, and that's the beauty of it. That is the beauty of life itself.

Principal Statement

Carrye Holland
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I am exceedingly proud of Celeste’s work under the tutelage of phenomenal art educator Mr. Charles Berlin. I find that it is extremely important to allow art teachers and their students space and time in which to work. Student artists need a creative outlet and I find that consummate art educators such as Mr. Berlin are best poised to provide safe, supportive spaces where they may literally develop and showcase their students’ creative talents. Celeste’s work has stood out since she arrived at White Station High School. She has such a magnificent talent that we knew that she was destined to continue to grow as an artist. As a principal, my goal is ensure that we have talented art teachers who look for the creative potential in all students and work to further develop that talent. In many cases, we receive students who like art but aren’t sure which medium they want to pursue. It has been so exciting to watch Celeste develop as a student artist and we cannot wait to see where her creative talents take her from here. The best advice I can give other principals is to make sure that students and teachers have what they need (tangible resources but also that time and space) and to essentially “get out of their way” and allow that creative genius to flourish.
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Celeste Rodriguez​