Junior Nzinga Thompson, on any given afternoon, during the winter season can be found in the creative environment of After School Art. At KO she has taken Outside the Box, Drawing, and is now in Portfolio Prep, her favorite art class she has taken.
“It’s difficult to choose a favorite,” she said, “as I’ve created great art in each of them. I’ve made my best work in that class, one of which I’m submitting to Epic and another I’m using for an Art show later this week.”
Looking back at her memories of art it is clear that Nzinga has developed as an artist. Her first memory of creating art was when she was around six years old. Instead of her preferred realistic style of late, Nzinga used a cartoon style. “I used to enjoy it so much that I would draw the faces of my friends and give it to them as gifts,” she said passionately.
One aspect that has not changed is her preferred medium. “I used a regular pencil,” she explained, “as I’ve never been a person to use too much color.” Graphite is Nzinga’s tried and true material, as charcoal is too messy, and oil pastels are appealing to the eye, but she does not favor them. What got in the way of her trying different materials was the unknown. “For a long time, I didn’t use anything else because I was afraid of the uncertainty and came with it,” she explained. “Ever since I started to draw, I only used graphite for every piece.”
Until recently, this has held true for Nzinga, but there is a new medium she has been testing her hand at: acrylic paint. She has been using the medium to create a self-portrait. “It is very challenging to adjust to it as I usually just use graphite on paper,” she said. Outside of a new medium, Nzinga’s self-portrait is challenging her in other aspects. “I usually don’t draw faces and focus more on the bodies of people,” she emphasized, “nor do I ever paint. I’m glad to say that this painting has made me realize I do like painting more than I thought I would.”
Despite the challenges, Nzinga brings a level head and never resists asking for help from her classmates and teachers. Her biggest takeaway from this new project is to try new things without judging them first.
While Nzinga is passionate about art, her earliest and current inspiration is her older brother. She looked up to him so she could surpass his skill level, a friendly competition. “I quickly found myself excelling in it,” she exclaimed. “I draw now because I enjoy drawing something and knowing I made it, all by myself. It’s peaceful and helps me stay connected to my brother even though we don’t live together.” She notes that while they have deviated in style, her brother’s artwork holds a spot on the wall in her room at home.
We can’t wait to see what Nzinga continues to create this year. Make sure to look for her art in the gallery!
