Senior art student Presley Hofland has been experimenting with different drawing techniques and media in Studio Art this year. She came to art class at the beginning of the year with a significant store of talent and enthusiasm, and has had great success with the charcoal, ink, and graphite projects we’ve been diving into. Presley, who has a great eye for composition and a sophisticated understanding of value, obviously enjoys being in “the zone” and experiencing creative “flow”. Her intricate line details and complicated patterns show she’s not afraid to commit deeply to a project and work hard for it to be something outstanding, as evidenced by her M. C. Escher tessellation. Next time you’re on campus stop by the art studio to admire all our student talent! –Lainey Heartz, Studio Art Faculty

 

Q+A with Presley

Q: When did you know you wanted to pursue art?
A: My mother is an interior designer, my aunt is a Waldorf teacher, and my grandmother is a painter. Art has always been a part of my life. 

Q: What is your preferred medium and why?
A: Ink and pencil drawing because there is so much potential for shadows and line weight. I can look at something I want to draw and piece it together like a puzzle, piece by piece until we see the whole concept. 

Q: What is the value of artistic expression?
A: Personally, I value the release of creativity into something that doesn’t overlap with math. There are not rules in art, you can do whatever you want. 

Q: What does art mean for you?
A: For me my art is a meditation. I can focus on my work and work through “life” without thinking about…

Q: Where do you draw inspiration from?
A: Really like to draw people and landscape. I prefer to draw in black and white because there is so much room to add depth with shadows and line density. I like to draw exactly as I see it, piece the view together like a puzzle. 

Q: What are you working on right now?
A: I am working on a tessellation, I like the challenge of drawing the same amount of detail and design over and over again.