Meticulously spreading paints, selecting colors, sketching, shading and carefully crafting ideas into a work of art is exactly what WCHS senior Katie Wen does. Art comes in many forms, but the product is something truly expressive of emotion and ideas. It holds vast power and being able to effectively communicate through art is something that takes immense time, practice and dedication.
“I have been doing art forever,” Wen said. “Some of my best memories are of working in the studio, completely absorbed in creating a piece. Art started off as a way to express myself and my interests, so I would find something particularly fascinating to me and make a quick sketch of it. This led me to trying to capture what many might consider mundane moments, turning them into special and memorable moments in a painting. I think as I developed my artistic interests, I also began to search for ways to bridge myself to others.”
As Wen continued to explore art she took an interest in realism and decided to focus on it while including emotional and symbolic elements. Using mediums such as oils, which dry slowly, allows for great detail and layering which creates further depth in pieces. In addition to using oils, Wen enjoys using charcoal, acrylic, gouache, colored pencils and pens. Wen’s process consists of gaining inspiration, collecting reference photos, basic sketches and finally considering a medium and color scheme before starting a piece or just running with the inspiration.
“Ideas pop up at any time for me,” Wen said. “From there, I may gather a few reference photos, make some preliminary sketches to explore composition and carefully consider my medium choice based on the piece’s intended impact. Before beginning the final piece, I make a note of color schemes and the symbolism and deeper meanings I want to incorporate. However, the planning stage doesn’t generally apply to all my art pieces. Sometimes I skip a few steps because I feel like it. I like to be flexible enough to accommodate any changes I want to make.”
In addition to being a Co-President for the WCHS chapter of the National Art Honors Society, Wen was awarded the National PTA Reflections Award of Excellence with Young Artist Scholarship in 2023. For this competition, Wen crafted a painting addressing mental health stigmas during the COVID-19 pandemic. She depicted three faces expressing stress, grief and anger, dedicating over eight hours a week for almost a month to this piece. Wen also spoke at the MCCPTA Reflections Awards Ceremony to discuss her painting and to inspire others, winning Gold and Silver keys in the Scholastic Art competition. Her works were exhibited at Montpellier’s Art Center, VisArts and Representative Jamie Raskin’s district office after placing as runner-up in the Congressional Art Competition.
“Through art critiques and feedback from my peers, I learned to grow both technically and conceptually,” Wen said. “Talking with other artists inspired me to experiment with new mediums and techniques I might not have otherwise tried myself. Everyone is really supportive and that has been important in building my confidence and willingness to take creative risks.”
While Wen creates her pieces individually, she has found vast value in looking to the art community, both within WCHS and beyond. Art is a great way to bridge gaps with others and has a unique power to create connections between diverse perspectives and experiences that individuals hold. Art is important in creating a way to form sympathy, empathy and understanding between people by communicating things that words can only scratch the surface of encapsulating.
“Learning art has allowed me to improve my creative problem-solving abilities and flexibility in any field I enter,” Wen said. “I will always be a lifelong student of creativity, constantly seeking new ways to learn, create and contribute to my community. Although I do not see myself pursuing art as a career in the future, I see myself applying my creativity in other areas of life and finding ways to support my community wherever I go. I hope to continue art as a passionate hobby and a means of positive social impact.”
