By Zoe Nix--Eagle Staff Writer
Dalí, Da Vinci, Picasso: all talented and famous artists.
But, have you ever heard of Cameron Meredith?
Meredith, a sophomore, has had a heart full of art since the third grade.
“I started drawing a lot in class, and people would come up to me and compliment me and say they wanted me to draw something for them,” Meredith begins. “Actually, a few kids from my elementary school still have drawings that I made for them in fifth grade.”
It was this kind of support that really pushed her to continue with art. However, Meredith says her biggest supporters will always be her parents.
“When I told them I was interested in art, they got me a bunch of things like canvases, professional pens and pencils, high quality paint, etc., and they really encouraged me to strive for my best,” she remembers fondly.
Support is unlimited, but inspiration can be few and far between. Fortunately, Cameron knows just where to look to find some of her own.
“Honestly, drawing is something that has its ups and downs, and I get frustrated a lot while creating a piece because 99% of the time things go wrong, and I have to improvise or I don’t like the way it looks halfway through,” she explains. “I feel like what motivates me to draw is the satisfaction of that final piece because when I look at some of the things that took me months to draw I just think, 'You put so much time and effort in that, and look how amazing it is. You could do that again and do even better.'”
Meredith’s boyfriend, senior DJ Patrick, is also a source of inspiration for her.
“I really like her personality, it shines,” he comments. “She drew a dino-man once and that was pretty amazing. She’s a good artist and she’s great at what she does. Keep going!”
Despite the compliments, Meredith still believes she has a while to go before perfection.
“There are plenty of areas that I would like to improve in. As an artist, it takes time to learn your style. Everyone is different about how they draw and paint, and that’s what makes art unique," she explains. "For me, I’m still looking for my style and what medium works the best for me. I do want to improve how I create using other types of mediums, but I feel like finding my style first is most important so I know what I’m doing."
Development is key, and Art Teacher Lori Law agrees.
“Cameron is an awesome talent! What spoke to me was her intention toward making her art well, which speaks to her great work ethic. What she did in class was beautifully and thoughtfully done,” Law shares.
Law finished her statement with a message for Meredith.
“I would definitely say that Cameron has the potential to do whatever she puts her mind to in the field of visual art," she remarks. "If Cameron chooses to pursue her art further, there will be ups and downs, but she definitely has a solid ground to rely on in her talent to be able to persevere."
Meredith concluded with some words of advice for other artists out there.
“You’re going to get frustrated. You’re going to feel like your art is ugly and you want to give up. You’re going to tell yourself that you’re bad at drawing, painting, using pastels, etc., but you’re not," she reassures. “Every single artist I know has been through that phase where they think that, and it’s only because they haven’t had practice. No one is a natural born Picasso, I promise you that. The more you practice creating art, the better you will get, and the more you’ll like the outcome of your work. I know this is a cliche answer, but practice is so important when you want to find that perfect piece of art made by you.”
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