2024 OCSA SENIOR EXHIBIT

OCSA SENIOR EXHIBIT

FEATURING THE WORKS OF 63

VISUAL ARTS AND DESIGN & MEDIA

GRADUATING SENIORS

VISUAL ARTS

DESIGN & MEDIA

Dear Patrons of the Arts at OCSA,

Congratulations on a successful school year! Watching these 63 seniors from the Design & Media and Visual Arts Conservatories grow and mature as artists and students over their time at OCSA is something that we should all take pride in. From their first days as middle school students, through a global pandemic, to now taking their final steps in their OCSA journey, this place and experience has become part of their stories, just as they have become a part of the OCSA legacy.

How does one quantify the artistic experience at OCSA? While each student shapes their own story based on their experience, the students share common markers along the journey like a starting point, achievements that challenge them to push further, and aspirations towards the future where their creativity can continue to thrive. Ideas become reality, get reshaped, and realized again. Along the journey, their interest and passions led them down various artistic paths like animation, graphic design, ceramics, painting, mixed media, printmaking, metals, and photography. Their passion and dedication culminates in the art that is showcased here.

Our 63 seniors should be celebrated as an artist of their own design, connected with their community and aiming to achieve even more in the future. Congratulations to the Class of 2024 for personifying all that is great about the Orange County School of the Arts now and in the future.

With appreciation,

Michael Ciecek Principal

ABOUT THE Visual Arts Conservatory

The Visual Arts Conservatory offers students in grades 7 through 12 the opportunity to learn fine art studio techniques, as well as improve upon existing artistic skills. Students explore both traditional art making methods and innovative, cutting edge art practices. Visual Arts students follow a fixed schedule of core requirement classes during grades 7, 8, and 9. Students then have the opportunity to choose college level elective classes during grades 10, 11, and 12. The result is that Visual Arts students build a collegelevel art portfolio that reflects talent, skill, and professionalism, along with a personal narrative body of work. This program is designed for students who love to make art of any kind, including drawing, painting, ceramics, photography, and graphic design, as well as computer design and computer illustration or animation.

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

To make art is to learn how to tell stories in new forms. I value art as a tool to communicate with others in ways that words never could. I tend to lean towards colorful and atmospheric art with an emphasis on striking visuals and expressive characters. I find that going along with conventions limits what is possible and experimenting to find what I enjoy really brings me the most fulfillment. Art has truly altered the way I view the world and it always brings me so much joy to indulge in it.

VIOLET ADAMS

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

My art is the voice of my own mind. Creating art gives me control over my mind. Oil paints give me time to construct and adjust; I can build and control my thoughts without constraint.

CHLOE ESPARZA

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

I aim to illuminate crevices of life that not everyone gets to experience. I want to demonstrate strong moods and connections to mundane situations and unveil a shared understanding through bright colors and interacting figures. With or without context, various interpretations of my pieces are able to come together to showcase one big picture.

LUKE FURCA

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

Throughout my years of learning about the principles of visual arts, I have gained a deeper appreciation for the beauty of everyday life. By observing the lines, colors, and movements of both people and nature alike, I came to understand that our world is filled with hidden complexities. I wish to carry this perception of life with me into my time after graduation while I travel and meet new people. I know that there are many more beautiful things out there in places I haven’t explored yet, and I can’t wait to see them!

PHOEBE HONG

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

I like to go straight into the creation of art without too much planning, bold creation is a process of selfliberation. Bravely expressing my inner feelings, conflicts and impulses makes my works more personalized and vital. I use various mediums to create different textures. I don’t intend to confine myself to a square frame, I want to break the limitations, not only use flat surfaces as my canvas, but also use unusual things as a place to express my creativity. I believe that the emotions conveyed by my art can transcend paper and paint and resonate with the viewer’s soul.

LISA HUANG

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

I use photography as an artistic outlet to capture moments of life, whether dynamic or peaceful, in a still image. In my outlook through my camera lens, I take my subject as it is, naturally, and capture it in a unique and expressive way with elements of movement and and stillness. A combination of the two creates a balance of peacefulness and motion.

VIVIAN JU

VISUAL ARTS CONS ERVATO RY

Nature and the environment have always been an inspiration to me when making art. I enjoy painting animals, plants, and portraits. More recently I’ve been fascinated with landscapes whether they be barren or filled with life. Painting and sketching various landscapes sparked my interest for a future career in landscape architecture and that is what I am hoping to study in university next year.

SONA KAMARAJ

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

I am a 17-year-old aspiring artist with a strong enthusiasm for digital and visual arts. My motivation stems from my love and passion for art, driven by the intricate lines, a myriad of colors, and room for creativity. I’ve been using a pencil to draw for as long as I can remember, and my journey in the world of art has been a continuous pursuit. I’ve actively engaged in various art contests and have been fortunate to secure multiple prizes. I have applied to many art schools and have been accepted into SAIC, CCA and Purdue.

DANIEL KIM

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

The comfortability with my hands was designed to intensify my art. The gradient tones and blendability of oils is what made them so stunning to me. The whitest whites and darkest darks although rare and delicate give immense dimension I try to expose with my work. Piece by piece I continue to experiment and flourish, finding inspiration in the beauty that surrounds me. Uncovering creativity in music and people, to hopefully develop to become a prominent and meaningful artist.

LAUREN KIMBALL

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

To be honest, I feel embarrassed sometimes to call myself an “artist” or my works “art.” I feel like this is such a heavy praise which I do not deserve. Drawing to me is simply like eating or sleeping, some casual things I do on a daily basis. I am simply someone who draws, not an artist. However, I love how illustration allows me to express my feelings and also connect with the characters who live in the imaginary world which I yearn for.

CINDY KUANG

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

Seeking to explore and further understand my cultural roots, much of my art focuses on my Korean identity and the traditions that I grew up with. As an artist, it is my goal to ignite a camaraderie within my artistic community, connecting artists and appreciating one another’s differences. My artistry, combined with the myriad creative elements I gain from using various media, fuels my aspirations for creating art that encapsulates the beauty of diversity, in my case, my identity.

CLARA KYE

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

The endless solutions to my independent inquiries are derived from employing the instances of my daily experiences for my artworks. Hence, these answers serve as the ultimate catalyst for the creation of pieces highlighting the development of not only my ardent admiration for painting, but how I have evolved in perceiving the world around me. The most prominent theme that can be found within my art is the concept of “relationships.” Not solely limited to the visualization of human-to-human relations, but ones of culture, media, and self-identity as well.

CHELSEA LEE

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

EUNICE LI

Art has always been my favorite hobby. It was one of the few things in my life that I put years of time and effort into, and I find it exhilarating to see my efforts paid off in the artworks that I create. I find inspiration in nature, with many of my artworks reflecting my interest in marine biology as well as conservation. I am particularly interested in artworks that have a thought provoking narrative, with symbolism that can be interpreted differently by different viewers.

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

Making art has my greatest passion since grade school but only recently have I decided that I want to pursue art as a career. It’s what makes me happy to create pieces of art that make me and the people around me happy. I’m most experienced with traditional drawing but, I want to also start improving my digital art skills as it would help me to build a career in the future.Working in painting, drawing, and video, my artworks explore the causes of internal conflicts and their effects on the individual and on society.

ANGELA LIM

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

With an interest in illustration, whether digital or traditional, I have always found myself immersed in the art of expression through the visual arts. Exploring the energy of a brushstroke, to the vibrancy of complementing colors, art will always be something I can confide in whenever I need a break from my troubles. For the last 6 years, I have grown not only a technical proficiency but also an artistic identity thanks to the conservatory and the passion of my peers. I hope to pursue this identity even further as I continue the path towards illustration in the future.

FATIMA MAI

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

My comfort is in color. Whether it be digital or traditional, I have to hold myself back from boosting up the saturation. I simply paint what our lizard brains’ enjoy. It’s the catalyst of all my works, from fantastical environments to my character illustrations, color language makes it ten times more impactful and interesting. There may be great storytelling power in value and form, but when in doubt, add more color!

ALEX MALDONADO

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

My art is full of variety. I do not have just one subject matter or media that I love to use and focus on, rather, I am inspired by many things. For example, mixed media work, portraits, nature pieces, and anything that comes to my mind’s eye. But within this variety, my art has common threads. Each of my pieces emphasizes truth, honesty, and love. I want my art to remind viewers of the beauty and love that can be found in our everyday lives, and also to remind them to cherish these moments, whether they are good or bad.

CIEL MITROVICH

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

Expressing myself through words has never been my strong suit. I lean more toward being a listener and an observer than a talker. Throughout the years, art has provided me with a more comfortable approach to conveying my emotions. I started oil painting roughly three years ago and I quickly fell in love with it. I create artwork that is personal and connected with memories that are meaningful to me. I paint portraits of people that hold significant value to me and I choose colors based on how I feel to share with my audience the true emotions behind it.

CELESTE NUNEZ

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

EUNICE “YOON” OH

There’s a desire in me that tells me I need to provide. For living something I can only describe as a rather ordinary life, my mind tells stories that are anything but mundane. Tales of longing with fantastical ruins, cursed swords and decrepit beasts, my brain demands I tell a story. Away from the repetitive system that we cycle through day by day, I want to give someone the satisfaction of a narrative masterpiece that would pierce through their heart and spill into their bloodstream, so much so they’d be compelled to make a story of their own.

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

My art is a tangible representation of my rawest reactions and deepest takeaways from personal experiences. Because of this, my art is extremely vulnerable, my own personal diary which can only be read by its creator; its truest meaning hidden behind visually symbolic secrets. Art is a conductor for me to form a connection with others who share similar experiences, and serves as an invitation to conversation for those who interpret it and see the world differently. I hope to look back at what I’ve made throughout high school and be reminded of the unique stories of growth I should never forget.

IVY POPEJOY

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

MAYA SERERO

I aim to explore the interactions between nature and architecture throughout my art. I did this through experimenting with watercolor techniques and different mediums to portray this dynamic. My art parallels my passion and pursuit of becoming an architect where I can continue to use my creativity and apply it to the real world.

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

Ever since I could remember, I was surrounded by plush toys, children’s books with bright characters, soft clothes of pastel colors and cute graphics. Most people grow out of this phase of cuddling with cutesy creatures, but I continued to embrace it. In my work, I aim to capture childlike playfulness, by using fantasylike elements to convey different themes from my own experience or my imagination. My favorite medium to use is watercolor, as it is able to create soft lines, bright glows and pastel colors that I often utilize in my work.

KEI SHIMABUKURO

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

Through paintings, sculptures, and videos, I highlight the chaos that people experience amidst wars while questioning the reason behind the outbreak of such wars. My work explores the multifaceted, complex, and intertwined nature of humans, reflecting the conundrum between determining the right and wrong during extreme occurrences like wars. Through art, I express the frustration and confusion in trying to seek answers as to why conflicts continue to exist in this day in age when they merely stem from the lack of understanding of the multifaceted nature of human beings.

GRACE SOHUN SHIN

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

I, Stanley Shin, love art. My art is love. Love is art. I enjoy painting. Oil paint makes me happy. As an artist, I challenge myself to use various media when creating artworks. I seek to not only expand my artistic skills, but also to use art as an outlet for my creativity. Through different art forms, I create characters of my own, stamping and printing them onto paper; I optimize the environment around me, painting detailed landscapes with various paints. Ultimately, my artistic goal is to never stay content with the art I currently create: I always strive to find new ways to express my artistry. I am art. Art is me. I am a work of art. Work of art is me.

STANLEY SHIN

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

Through travel, I was able to discover my passions and interests and draw inspiration for my artwork from people, animals, architecture, and the environment that gave rise to us. I’ve developed a deep connection with the underwater world and its life-giving elements as a result of my scuba diving, and I adore capturing this in my artwork. I work mostly with three media: oil, ink, and charcoal. I particularly enjoy utilizing ink to tell stories and transport viewers into other realms because it allows me to be detailed and make pieces that reveal something new with each viewing.

CHILI SLOOP

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

Oil on canvas. This piece serves as a celebration, initially created as a gift for my parents. A picture I had stolen off of their Facebook. Trying to showcase the beauty of union and relationships. Despite having endured familial hardships and struggles in the past, I created this piece to evoke a myriad of emotions, as evident by the vibrant colors and the excitement emanating from the fireworks and lights. Additionally, my focus was on doing a color study, I deliberately chose to tint the scene in a rich and emotive shade of red for passion and love.

NICOLE SUN

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

Starting from a young age I have always been captivated by the unconventional. Over time, this began to manifest itself in my art as embracing imperfections. Overall I tend to gravitate more towards themes of gender, pop culture, subconscious thought, and self image. Through the use of mixed media and my eclectic taste I aim to create art that visually communicates the fact that I had fun making it; simultaneously creating unique abstractions of concepts I take interest in. I hope to constantly challenge norms using my unique visual language in a world that often prioritizes perfection over effective expression.

ALLY TAYLOR

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

My artistic practice centers around the exploration of perception, delving into the intricacies of understanding both myself and others. This ongoing journey of comprehension drives my creations. At the core of this exploration is the concept of style, a facet I perceive as an extension of myself, manifesting in my art and encapsulating my personality, thoughts, and choices. In the search for my own style, I realized that artistic style and personality are linked. I started wondering about my nature, experiencing moments of selfawareness and self-doubt as I explored what makes my style - and myself - unique. Along this journey, I discovered my personal symbol – the manifestation and representation of my personal style. My symbol: picture yourself making the “okay” sign with both hands, then bringing the circles formed by your thumbs and index fingers to your face, aligning them with the center of your eyes. This creates a binocular effect. This symbol is a self-portrait in the way it relates to me, representing my pursuit of relentless seeking, driven by instinct, to discover who I really am.

CLAUDIA TSAI

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

I treasure every one of my artworks since they all represent a moment of my life, mainly when I was younger. My works are meant to capture, all in a single black and white image, the joy of being young and carefree. The expressions and feelings reflect the carefree spirit of childhood.

SIENNA TUPPER

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

Alyssa Uy creates a range of work from concept design to sculptural pieces. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career in the entertainment arts industry but also uses art as a way to express personal experiences and opinions on real-world issues. This sculpture is a bust in contrasting states depending on the angle you view it, one in a fleeting tranquility, and the other in turmoil. This piece focuses on the duality of a person and the importance of perception. We can never understand the true depths of someone without viewing their whole perspective.

ALYSSA UY

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

MADISON VARGAS

The goal of my art is to lend a sense of tangibility to the female adolescent experience through my own lens. Whimsical and childlike, I utilize accents of bright color and shape to communicate my imaginative view on relationships and the world. As a creative young woman I find it my duty to explore my love of art and use it to express my experiences and visions. Pursuing a career as a tattoo artist, freelance artist, or gallery director have been prominent dreams and prospects of mine my entire life.

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

I love the feeling of being able to see myself in fictional characters or stories. I form bonds and connections with characters and stories through the art that I create or observe, whether that character is my own or the creation of someone else, I feel at home in my time spent drawing or creating them. I hope that one day someone else will feel at home with one of the characters I create too.

JJ VOEGELE

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

I’m Coco, an artist using painting and colored pencils. Art, my meaningful hobby, serves as a language to express introspection, joy, and daily nuances. Each piece narrates a unique story, capturing the magic in the mundane. I infuse my work with a personal twist, drawing inspiration from life. The process is as vital as the outcome—I engage in a dialogue with influences, allowing spontaneity to guide me. Every stroke represents a deliberate choice, reflecting my artistic vision. My art is a journey, inviting viewers to explore emotions, colors, and imagination—a fusion that transforms the ordinary into something extraordinary.

COCO WEN

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

As a creature of habit, I find comfort in the familiar: the same restaurant orders, the limited selection of pens in my pencil case, and the similar sets of clothing in my wardrobe. Uniformity, stasis, predictability—these are things I cling on to. However, unfortunately, life isn’t an ocean of calm, predictable tides. Therefore, I use art to cope with and embrace these changes, whether it’s my personal battle with mental health or the humanitarian crises impacting my closest family. Through my paintings, I give voice to the silent and shed light on what often goes unnoticed.

MELODY WU

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

Spatial design resembles frozen music; it shares a profound commonality with music in their shared pursuit of artistic expression. Just as music evokes emotions through definite notes and rhythmic tunes, each element represents a meticulously orchestrated composition of sounds that resonates within the available space. As you delve into my artworks, you will notice a recurring theme of consistent boundaries, a testament to my dedication to some thoughtfully planned composition. This concept of importing organic form language into an existing space will be the foundation of my future design pursuits of enhancing spatial complexity.

JIAWEN YANG

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

From comics to landscape paintings, I want to use my art to express my personal experiences and fascinations. Through creating specific works, I hope my artwork will deeply and personally resonate with its viewers.

I primarily use watercolors in my pieces. Although its unforgiving nature requires me to plan my paintings beforehand, it also permits me to be flexible with my vision and end up with products I didn’t know I could create.

As I prepare to enter the next phase in my artistic and educational career, I anticipate the ways in which my artistic purpose and style will develop.

AUDREY YOO

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

Enchanted by the gradual formation of each art piece, I express my ideas, thoughts, and emotions through diverse creations. I enjoy dedicating time in creating works that represent my concerns, dreams, concepts I find intriguing, or address societal issues aiming to positively impact. I find joy in mixed media and installations, appreciating the creative possibilities it offers and the ability it gives me to express my ideas through unique combinations of various mediums. Additionally, I merge my artistic perspective into fashion design. Pursuing this childhood dream, I’m thrilled to announce my admission to study fashion design at Parsons after graduation.

MINNIE ZHAI

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

I am an artist aiming to make a difference in society. My goal is to bring attention to different issues happening around the world and in my community, and introduce new ideas and solutions for those problems. My artworks are evidence that those upbringings make up who I am and bring out my own unique traits. From these upbringings, I have developed a passion for using art and design to tell stories. In the process of my art-making, I have learned a lot about myself and my beliefs. It is a representation of my history and my hopes for the future.

CINDY ZHANG

VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

CARINA ZHENG

My first camping trip was at the California Red Rock Canyon State Park—inexperienced, but totally astonished when the sunrise traced the rock towers with fine gold. Since then, my fascination with art and nature evolved into a deep-seated passion that captures, in my mind, the fundamental core of humanity.

My art immersively depicts flowers, trees, large landscapes, and humans. As I experiment with different media, I’ve gained a special appreciation for ceramics and metal-wires. My 3D works feature organic structures to convey humanity’s inseparableness from nature. So, let us pause, and return to where we came from.

ABOUT THE Design & Media Conservatory

The Martin & Cynthia Howard Design & Media Conservatory offers preprofessional arts training for students in grades 9-12 through the lens of design and problem solving. Pairing new and emerging technologies with design thinking and iterative methodology, students sample a variety of commercially focused arts practices such as Entertainment, Game, Animation, Product, Transportation, Narrative, Interactive Media, and UI and UX Design to rethink and reimagine our world. The Martin & Cynthia Howard Design & Media Conservatory encourages learning through immersive instruction, first-hand research, application of experience, and critique. Students are at the vanguard of design through a combination of guest artist lectures, hands-on experience in the school’s robust facilities, and collaboration with local industry leaders. Design & Media students enjoy a rigorous and thoroughly challenging curriculum equivalent to competitive colleges and universities, and they use the skills learned throughout their time in the conservatory to solve problems, push boundaries, and overcome challenges in an ever-evolving industry.

Design & Media CONSERVATORY

ELYRA

I am an artist to make more colorful the artpiece that is humanity.

“Got curly hair? Draw now! Feeling good about life? Draw now! Feeling bad about life which is the opposite of good and you need an outlet of some kind? Draw now! Messed up a first impression irreversibly? Draw now! In love with someone? Draw now! Spiraling? Draw now! Stuck in class? Draw now! Want a job in the industry as an illustrator? Draw now! Inspired by everything that’s ever happened in your life and your favorite video games when you were 11? Draw now! Want to be more human? Try drawing today! Love ‘em all! 2006.”

RAFAEL CARRERA

As an artist, I’m constantly inspired by everything around me. Whether it be nature, my own feelings, or more often than not, a movie or TV show, my mind will instantly want to make something inspired by it. I love creating loose art, without rules or bounds, and letting myself fully go with the flow on a piece. I try not to tie myself down to any specific style of linework, or coloring, because where’s the fun in that? Art can be expressive in so many ways, which is why I love to make it.

JACK CESARIO

The examination of what life can mean can be pretty abstract. I think it’s part of an artist’s job to either accentuate that peculiarity or add lines and definitions to the colors. Whether it be exploring the depths of pain or the pleasure and bliss of joy- there is something to be said, even if there’s no meaning behind it. It becomes a communication between artist and viewer that transcends just an image or a clump of pixels. No need to impress or mold to the norm, the work will speak for itself, and find its people.

KEIRA CHUNG

What astounds me about art is its inability to be kept to oneself, for art exists in every corner of the world. Where there’s love and people, there’s art. It’s the extraordinary found within the ordinary, finding magic within the mundane. Each person, each structure, each speck in this universe carries so much heart and life waiting to be seen. My goal is not to be revered for a skill capable by me alone, rather, it is to inspire creation. Art is passion and defiance; it doesn’t matter where you came from, it simply matters what you choose to do.

AVA DIAZ

Many people may find it difficult to feel peace in a world that’s constantly moving. For me, it’s finding a balance in all the chaos that brings me the most joy. Staring up at the graffiti littered walls of Santa Ana, watching the waves crash and toss white wash high into the air at the beach, glancing around at the many trinkets and sketches I have collected and strewn about my own room, it’s a balance of contrasting colors and organized messiness that translates into my art.

RILEY DIVEL

As a digital artist, most of my inspiration has been sourced from online entertainment, including animated films and shows, as well as other digital artists who frequently share their art and ideas. This rooted my ideas in a place that wasn’t from my inner feelings or beliefs. As such, when it comes to the content of my work, there isn’t any deep or personal origin for my art. I simply enjoy to make pieces I like and that I think are pretty, beautiful or cute. I don’t believe anyone should be categorized either, as everyone can illustrate whatever they want, and branch out to new paths.

ABIGAIL DUNN

DESIGN & MEDIA CONSERVATORY

Art to me is something that both illustrates and creates a story. Being able to create something out of my own mind and physically bring it into existence is cool but also the aspect of art being a tool of inspiration, with limitless representation, exploration, and world building. Which is why I try to keep these things in mind with my own personal art, trying to achieve and explore through the lens of my own experiences and with the additional sprinkle of my own culture. Creating is my outlet and something I hope to continue carrying out through my career and lifetime.

CAMILLO GARCIA

What is art but the result of reaching for goals and dreams dreamed, The long mystic shadow cast by magicians? Ween. Primus. Dinosaur Jr. Violent Femmes. Radiohead. The Garden. Dead Kennedys. Sublime. The Pain, Killers. Have A Nice Life. TSOL. CAKE. Agent Orange. Neutral Milk Hotel. Ween again. A Wizard without temptation. A dragon shouts at the sun. Warlock. Don’t fear him when he comes for you. Art is many things, like magicians, wizards, and even warlocks. But even more than that, art is what you make it.

HUDSON GARCIA

DESIGN & MEDIA CONSERVATORY

I’m naturally a pretty anxious person. I don’t have much to say and would rather be an observer to the action around me. However, in my artwork I love to delve deep into tension filled stories of action, romance, and whimsy through bold colors and dramatic lighting. When you look at the characters in my art, you’ll know there’s a history there and that this is the climax to their stories.

RACHEL KONDO

DESIGN & MEDIA CONSERVATORY

I live my life exploring every possibility across any medium; nothing is ever truly out of my reach. Through my work, I hope to cast a glimpse of all the things that I see that are horrifying and beautiful.

JINAH LEE

Having fun is what I want.

Since I was young, I always wanted to have fun one of the things I enjoyed the most is drawing. I have been doing digital art since I could get my hands onto a tablet. I enjoy the fact that I have no constrictions when it comes to my art. Often times most of my work are from things I personally enjoy however, overtime I have started to love more and creating my own stories and characters. I hope that overtime more people will start enjoying art, and that they will become encourage enough to create their own stories with their own art just like how I did.

SANDY LOPEZ

DESIGN & MEDIA CONSERVATORY

I think as an artist you gotta keep moving on to the next thing. If you stay on one thing you’ll just waste time. Keep creating by doing the next thing keep being different with your ideas.

IAN MACDONALD

DESIGN & MEDIA CONSERVATORY

You can’t just say “perchance”

ROBBIE MARTIN

DESIGN & MEDIA CONSERVATORY

Making art for me has always been a way to take myself out of reality. I like trying to make things that are seen as odd or unattractive, specifically in nature and give them the beauty they deserve. I particularly love doing this while making character designs, and working in different art styles. The medium I tend to stick to is digital but I love working in my sketchbook.

LIZZY MELLO

DESIGN & MEDIA CONSERVATORY

I’ve always been someone who’s had an interest in classical art, especially pieces from the pre-raphaelite time. The careful placing of bright and dark colors that highlight the figures in between various hues is what I’ve strived to achieve in any piece of work I produce now. It’s been my goal in my art journey to create a tie between our historical techniques and apply them with modern day technology. While I have been successful in creating these types of paintings, this is only the beginning for me.

REY NOBLE

SUAH

Through my artwork, I want to convey the hopeful feelings I have for a constant and changing world that I’m unable to express with words. There are pieces of myself in every artwork and my purpose is to inspire others to make. I draw because I love myself and the world around me. It is my wish to share my unique human experiences through art, because I’ve come to realize it’s something only I’m able to do as an individual. I draw to establish! To love! To create! :3

If there was a reason why I still draw and am pushed to do more with my art it would be because of the people I love. They’ve kept me motivated and inspired to come up with dumb ideas because of dumb jokes. It’s what makes creating fun without thinking about how broke I will be in the future because of pursuing art. It would be wrong to share a senior piece without Easter eggs of all the things I love most because it’s why I want to keep doing this in the first place. I love you, VirusVerse.

LILY POWLEY

DESIGN & MEDIA CONSERVATORY

XINTONG SHAO

DESIGN & MEDIA CONSERVATORY

Drawing has become almost therapeutic to me, I’m always doodling something if I can help it wherever I am. I love animals and especially prehistoric ones, they really let the creative mind flow and that’s what got me so in depth in my art capabilities, which only expanded my own interests, and hopefully a fulfilling future.

SHANNON SWOPE

GABRIELLA VALAINIS

DESIGN & MEDIA CONSERVATORY

Art is a form of therapy for me; I enjoy it as much as making it. Art has been my source of happiness for a while and I’d like to continue perusing it in the near future.

RUMI WONG

I make art to make others happy. The feelings we have as children seem to dull with time as we are bogged down by responsibility. I create pieces about things that I love—beetles, trains, and the ocean—to hopefully reignite that spark in others. The human experience is more complex and simple than it is given credit for. In my work, I express my deep frustrations about the state of the world, but also that I think bugs are cool.

MAGGIE ZHANG

DESIGN & MEDIA CONSERVATORY

One may assume watching anime is all I do, however, drawing environments has been my thing since I came to OCSA. The piece showcased is an interior design from one of my world-building projects. The styles are inspired by Arcane because I just finished watching it before starting the project.

TOMMY ZHOU

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR OF THE MARTIN & CYNTHIA HOWARD DESIGN & MEDIA CONSERVATORY

Patrick Williams

Mr. Patrick Williams earned his bachelor’s degree in illustration design from Art Center College of Design and his master’s degree in drawing and painting from California State University, Long Beach. Mr. Williams has dedicated his career as an arts instructor to creating transformative and empowering opportunities for young artists through education. He began his teaching at Orange County School of the Arts in 1999 in the school’s elective program and Visual Arts Conservatory before being named the Director of the Design & Media Conservatory in 2012. Mr. Williams is now credited for creating one of the most innovative high school Design & Media programs in the country.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR OF VISUAL ARTS CONSERVATORY

Ms. Paige Oden holds a Master of Fine Arts in painting and sculpture and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting. She has studied in Florence, Italy; Washington D.C.; San Francisco; and Southern California under the guidance of artists Stephen De Staebler, Stephen Werlick, and John Lincoln.

In addition to her 25 years of dedication to the development of the Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) Visual Arts Conservatory, Ms. Oden exhibits and sells her paintings through various galleries in California and at the Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts. She also volunteers in various artrelated programs throughout the Orange County community and has created an OCSA Visual Arts Leadership program that guides her students into volunteering and supporting local community programs. She has dedicated her career as a visual arts director and instructor by creating and developing a powerful and supportive fine arts curriculum, allowing young fine artists of all levels to excel through carefully aligned and tiered studio classes and lecture education.

Paige Oden

CONGRATULATIONS TO Our talented seniors of the class of

2024!