Hello beautiful humans, my name is Anna Elias. I was born and raised in Queens, New York, but my parents originate from Guatemala. As a self-taught artist, I am finally comfortable labeling my artistic style as a surrealist who juxtaposes ordinary with unordinary details and brings visual narratives to life. I love to focus on capturing different emotions through the use of vibrant colors and bold lines. I also enjoy having the power to construct unique designs without any restrictions. My artworks demonstrate experience with mediums such as acrylic paint, watercolor, pencil, marker, oil pastels, clay, and ink.
I received my bachelor’s in art education from the City College of New York in 2017. I am currently on the verge of receiving my professional certification after completing the art education master’s program at City. I have been teaching for five years, the first two years as an elementary school art teacher and now as a middle school art teacher.
My research question is: How do young middle school artists describe what motivates them to make art? Throughout my three years as a middle school art teacher, I have interacted with brilliant students who have the natural talent for expressing themselves visually. Reflecting on my journey as an artist and art teacher, I was eager to understand better what motivates others. The participants in this qualitative research are middle schoolers who already identify as artists. To further comprehend a young artist’s creative process, I worked towards identifying motivation’s essential role in these students’ lives.
I hope my research can inform those who are a part of young artists’ lives in and outside of the classroom about how motivation affects their creative process. I hope to inspire teachers and families to appreciate young artists’ work in a different light. There is more to just stating the artwork is pretty or cool. It’s about discussing where the inspiration stemmed from and how it will later develop. And most importantly, I hope young artists continuously stay motivated to create forever!
Artist Kim Jung Gi provides some interesting Tips for Young Artists
Tips to stay motivated by Kasey Golden
