Francesca Douglas is an up-and-coming artist who dabbles in multiple styles, expanding her creativity.
“I have loved doing art since I was in elementary school, but it wasn’t until high school that I started experimenting with different styles and techniques. I think what really motivated me to focus more on my artwork was the pandemic,” said Francesca Douglas, a junior.
Douglas began creating art when she was in elementary school, and started experimenting with new techniques and styles during high school.
Douglas sketches with graphite and creates digital art using an iPad and Apple Pencil. She began using the app Procreate when her uncle gifted it to her for her 15th birthday.
Since then, she has created art pieces such as a cityscape. The piece remains one of her favorites.
During the school shutdown that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, many people suddenly found themselves with more time to explore their passions, Douglas included. She found herself exploring her creative abilities more often when she was not attending school in-person.
“During quarantine and online school, I had a lot of free time on my hands and I began drawing and painting more often,” Douglas said.
Due to the hustle and bustle of in-person learning, she has not had as much time for art. However, she spends time during the weekend working on art pieces.
Carving out time for passions outside of school can allow students to balance the stressors of school and work with things they enjoy. Extracurriculars such as art give students new experiences that they may not be able to experience in school.
According to rtor.org, “creating art stimulates the release of dopamine,” a neurotransmitter that increases feelings of happiness.
“Art is definitely very relaxing,” Douglas said.
Additionally, creating art can help students learn new concepts. By representing things they learn visually, students are able to get creative in the classroom.
“In biology, visual representations are necessary. When trying to conceptualize an idea that most of the time is unseen, it is important to be able to represent it visually,” said Danae Sprouse, one of Douglas’ teachers.
Douglas continues to explore her passion for art, creating pieces that bring joy and allow her to have new experiences outside of school.