Fox Friday: Ariel Feldman’s Art Moves on to the Nationals in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

Fox Friday is a series that highlights the accomplishments of students districtwide. We regularly feature the incredible things our students are up to — whether they are excelling academically, athletically or are quietly impressive.

Fox Lane junior Ariel Feldman has been awarded East Coast Gold and Silver Keys in the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers’ Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Her gold key winning piece, “Jacob,” is moving on to the national awards. Winners will be announced later this month.

Founded in 1923, this award is “the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens,” according to the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. Notable alumni include Robert Redford, Stephen King, Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Amanda Gorman and more.

“We want to celebrate work that is unique and blurs boundaries,” the awards’ website says. “We want work that challenges your assumptions. Is it new? Does it surprise you?”

We spoke to Ariel to learn more about her and her work.

When did you start getting really into art? Did something/someone inspire you?

I’ve always been an “art kid,” so there was never really one point where I decided that it’s what I want to pursue, it’s just kind of always been a part of who I am. I’ve always been surrounded by creative people who push me to challenge and strengthen my own work. I think at a very young age, encouragement manifested itself into me saying this is who I am and this is what I want to do. From around 8-13, I was heavily set on the idea of going into fashion design. Since starting high school, however, I’ve discovered how much I love painting. I think this shift comes from not only a change in the types of work and media I admire, but as I’ve gotten older, painting has become something I truly put my heart into and care deeply about.

What courses or extracurricular art activities have you participated in?

Most of what I do outside of school is art-related. I try to participate in as many art events and volunteer as much as possible to show my appreciation and give back to the community. Currently, I’m vice-president of both the National Art Honors Society and Art Club. I've also exhibited at the Yellow Studio art gallery. Over the summer I've been taking classes at art schools and colleges, and this past summer I interned at the Arbor Gallery installing exhibits. I’m hoping to get an internship with a professional artist this summer to grow as an artist myself. Additionally, I spent a lot of this past summer creating cards for the hospital. Currently, I’m working with the THRIVE Youth Alliance to create a mental health art-making exhibit for teens, and I’m working on my own exhibit for teens to showcase their work this summer. There are also many non-fine arts things I do like, writing stories, and I’ve been playing piano for 12 years. As you can tell, I truly care a lot about my artistic pursuits and I want to use that to do good for my community and myself.

What is your favorite medium to work in and what do you like about it?

I love painting, especially in oil. I find that oils are able to give me not only more control because of their versatility, but I’m also able to create more depth and likeness in my figures. I like to think that this is because they are composed of natural pigments and oils, whereas something like acrylic paint is made of plastic. I’m able to create a more realistic painting with paint made from natural materials rather than synthetic, which I think speaks volumes.

What inspires you?

My inspiration derives mainly from the media I consume on a daily basis. I get very attached to movies and books, making them a part of who I am. Characters, settings, conflicts, etc., all play a major role in how I think about my work. Additionally, visual aspects like lighting, perspective, and expressions allow me to visualize what I want to create on a greater level. Music is also another example of this. Different genres and songs allow me to visualize different paintings better than anything else. I spend a lot of my time just sitting and listening to music for this reason. I also get inspired by other kids my age who are interested in the same things as I am. Like any artist, I compare myself a lot to my peers. Seeing other kids’ work pushes me to work and grow as an artist myself.

Do you have any favorite artists? If so, what do you love about them?

I wouldn't say I necessarily have an all-time favorite artist, however, I do have ones that I love. Stylistically, I love impressionist artists, especially Mary Cassatt, but in terms of technicality, I really look at the Baroque time period and artists like Caravaggio and Rembrandt. I learn a lot about how to paint just by looking at Baroque art, and I attribute a lot of my development to that.

This award has some incredibly notable alumni. How did you feel when you learned you’re a part of that group?

I’ve never really thought to see if any notable artists had won a Scholastic award, but it feels amazing to know that they have! The Scholastic awards have always seemed to me to be the most prestigious and popular teen art award in the country, so even just winning something knowing that feels great! Any famous artist was once a student, and knowing that I have something that they had when they were my age is extremely encouraging.

Can you pick one of your winning paintings and explain the thoughts/feelings/vision behind it?

“Jacob” is my favorite painting I have ever made. When I was thinking about what to make for Scholastic and looking at past winners, a lot of the work was extremely conceptual. Because of how I like to paint, being conceptual scares me a little. This school year, and in the piece “Clockwork,” I’m trying to grow on that. However, for this piece, painting something I love and am more comfortable doing felt like the way to go. It wasn’t until I finished that, despite using a photo reference, my final work felt completely different from the original image. Of course, there were creative decisions I made along the way that contributed to that result, like how I approached the background more impressionistically than realistically. Yet, it still turned out to be a much deeper and more complex image than the original photograph. I love it because I don’t think it has a singular meaning. I think it’s up to the viewer on how to interpret it. To me, it’s a reflection of who my brother Jacob is, but to somebody else, it can mean something entirely different. I’m very proud that this is the one out of everything that was selected to advance to the national competition.

Do you see yourself continuing with art in the future? If so, how (as a hobby, as a career, etc)?

Becoming an artist/painter has always been the default career for me, however, I don’t see that as my future. Just like I’ve fallen more in love with painting, I’ve also fallen in love with history as I’ve advanced throughout high school. I care a lot about learning and sitting down and studying. I aim to direct and focus myself more on Art History and art conservation throughout college. I’m hoping to get my BFA/BA in college, then pursue higher education to study painting conservation in depth. Of course, this will change, but I feel confident in the direction I am heading. I will never stop painting, and I assume it will be incorporated into my work in some way. It’s hard to picture my life without art in it.