By Cassidy Le
Copy Editor

Creative. Hardworking. Determined.
Junior Edward Lopez has excelled in art courses throughout his high school career. However, it wasn’t until he enrolled in the Drawing and Painting class at Gabrielino High School, that he realized his passion for the medium. Through this class, Lopez has found an outlet where he is able to express his passion and love for art.
“Drawing and Painting class gave me the opportunity to put my creative ideas on paper,” stated Lopez.

While he was unsure of his artistic ability in the beginning, Lopez’s talent only grew with his confidence.
“I didn’t know how creative he was,” revealed Drawing and Painting teacher, Emmett Suess. “For a teacher, it’s nice to see that he is excelling.”
Lopez expresses his creativity and imagination through the assignments given to him in class. From these projects, he has been able to advance his skills.
“From freshman year to junior year, I’ve seen that I have improved with my artwork and I’ve been able to learn a lot of different skills along the way,” Lopez stated proudly.
Lopez understands the importance of putting time and effort into his artwork. But he also uses the class as an opportunity to help others with their work. Through working with others, Lopez has come to recognize the importance of collaboration and working as a team.
Lopez’s determination and drive push him to work hard and further advance his art skills. These skills include working with different mediums and thinking outside of the box in order to plan how a piece will be created.
His strong belief that art is a means of creative expression has greatly impacted his artistic journey.
The little things that Lopez enjoys about his day to day life also heavily influences his artwork, from his music taste to his hobbies to his family life at home.
“I often [put] my imagination and what I enjoy doing into my art to make it more exquisite and intriguing to those who view it,” explained Lopez.
His level of creativity and skill in his craft has expanded with every piece of artwork that he’s created.
“From the beginning of the course,” stated Suess, “his skill level [has grown] very quickly.”
With a smile, Suess added, “[Edward] learns fast and is a dedicated student.”