Ivy Taylor, Berwick Jr. High, 8th Grade

About the artwork: This is a piece I created because I had an idea of a really cute dog, and this was the one I came up with.

The creative process: I chose these colors and paint because I thought they would interact and look good together.

Favorite style or medium: Black and white pencil

Length of Project: About 3-4 months of work (only because painting is not my forte)

Favorite Artist or Inspiration: Mrs. Lesley Marshall, my talented art teacher.

How many years have you been in the Talented Art program: 6 years

One thing I hope people feel when they see my art: I hope people feel happy and want to see more of my art. 

Silas Hastings, Morgan City High School, 12th Grade

Title: “Goblin Sharks in the Dark”

About the artwork: The painting is acrylic on canvas and includes 3 goblin sharks swimming with a variety of fish in a deep dark ocean.
The creative process: I’ve always liked aquatic themes and scenery and since the canvas was so large and I was working with a style I don’t usually work in, I wanted to feel comfortable and use familiar subject matter. It took a lot of references and moving things around.

Favorite style or medium: Acrylic and oil pastel

Length of Project: This particular painting took me about 4 months because the canvas had a tear that I had to mend. Realism is also not my preferred style, so I made sure to take breaks when needed.

Favorite Artist or Inspiration: My inspiration comes from things that make me happy.

How many years have you been in the Talented Art program: 10 years

"One thing I hope people feel when they see my art: I would be happy if anyone felt anything from seeing any of my pieces. I would be happy to hear my art made someone feel a certain way."  Silas Hastings

Alayna Tran, 11^th Grade at Morgan City High School

About the artwork: Lately, I have enjoyed the concept of painting colorful statues. Usually, statues in real life are solid grey, but when I paint them, I have the ability to add colors that are not visible in real life.

The creative process: I used a grid technique to sketch and used watered-down paint to map out color before rendering with the final layer of paint.

Favorite style or medium: Acrylic Paint

Length of Project: Around 2-3 hours every week from October until the end of January.

Favorite Artist or Inspiration: Yuming Li

How many years have you been in the Talented Art program: 9 years

One thing I hope people feel when they see my art: I hope it brings as much wonder as looking at a sunset.

Aleria Sorrell, 11th grader at Franklin Sr. High School

About the artwork:

This piece displays a figure from Greek mythology:  Medusa. Ironically, in a stoned expression.

The creative process:

In the beginning, I wanted to give up because it seemed hard, and it was only my second time using charcoal. Since I can be very stubborn, I had to finish it. The rest is history.  on.

Favorite style or medium:

I personally love working with every medium.  I have no distinct favorite! 

Length of Project:

6-7 hours

Favorite Artist or Inspiration:

 I take an interest in French painters like Gustave Courbet.

How many years have you been in the Gifted and Talented art program:

3.5 years

One thing I hope people feel when they see my art:

I hope people feel the realism and altruism that come with my art. My abilities are supposed to show others that whatever your heart imagines is your own art. You shouldn’t compare or feel down because someone else’s grass might be or look greener. It's about the care, tenderness, and time that comes from within.

Zailey Corsey, 11th grader at PHS

About the artwork: This is a childhood picture of me.

The creative process: I create using a grid of the sketch and make the background pop with color.

Favorite style or medium: acrylic

Length of Project: 1 week

Favorite Artist or Inspiration: Pablo Picasso

How many years have you been in the Talented Art program: 3 years

One thing I hope people feel when they see my art: I hope individuals feel at home with their inner child when they see my art.

Ariathna Vazquez, 5th Grade at LaGrange Elementary School

About the artwork: Tradition is important to me. Every year, we celebrate Christmas with family. This painting shows how much I enjoy traditions with my family.

The creative process: This is a holiday picture I created using my imagination.

Favorite style or medium: painting

Length of Project: 2 days

Favorite Artist or Inspiration: my mom and my talented art teacher, Mrs. Vickie Williams.

How many years have you been in the Talented Art program: 2 years

One thing I hope people feel when they see my art: I hope people feel happy when they see my drawings or paintings.

Brynne Colley, 12^th Grade at West St. Mary High School

About the artwork: It is a portrait of Heath Ledger’s character, Ennis Del Mar, in the 2005 film Brokeback Mountain.

The creative process: After watching a movie that sticks with me for a long time, I pick a frame that stands out to me, usually for its emotional weight and meaning over visual appeal.

Favorite style or medium: I tend to enjoy clay the most, though I excel in acrylic.

Length of Project: 15-20 hours

Favorite Artist or Inspiration: I take most of my inspiration from movies I watch.

How many years have you been in the Gifted and Talented art program: 3 years

One thing I hope people feel when they see my art: My goal is to immediately appeal to those who know the movie or piece of media I am basing my art on. Though it is still important to be visually interesting to the general audience. It is more important to me that those who understand the importance of that particular frame to the entire movie.

Isabella Thibodeaux, 11th grader at Berwick High School

About the artwork:

This painting features the famous artist Salvador Dalí, who thought outside the lines and created melting clocks.

The creative process:

I wanted to practice working with my dimensions and skin tones while bringing them to life using only black and white. I added the party hat as a playful interpretation.

Favorite style or medium:

Painting with acrylic

Length of Project:

4 hours

Favorite Artist or Inspiration:

Michael Angelo

How many years have you been in the Gifted and Talented art program:

7 years

One thing I hope people feel when they see my art:

I hope others see the meaning in things in different ways and create their own storyline for it.

Alicea Franklin, 12th grader at Patterson High School

About the artwork:

I enjoy painting and creating abstract pieces.

The creative process:

I sketched the eye out with colored pencil, painted the base colors, then went back and forth with a paint spatula to add textured splotches and details.

Favorite style or medium:

Paint

Length of Project:

2 weeks

Favorite Artist or Inspiration:

Mrs. Lori Buteau (St. Mary Parish Talented Art/Gifted Teacher)

How many years have you been in the Gifted and Talented art program:

7 years

One thing I hope people feel when they see my art:

I hope others feel that I am very talented and inspired. Abstract is still art.

Each month, we shine a spotlight on one of our incredible student artists whose creativity, passion, and talent inspire us all. Get ready to meet this month’s standout star:

Whitley Berry, 10th grader at MCHS