[ot-caption title=”(via Rachel Rutstein, Sophomore)” url=”https://pcpawprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/DSC_0048-e1415920052217.jpg”]

Name: Nicole Maharaj

Grade: 11

Favorite Artist: Chuck Close

Favorite Quote: “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”-Thomas Merton

Favorite Work of Art: Self Portrait, Alberto Giacometti

[ot-caption title=”(via Nicole Maharaj, Junior)” url=”https://pcpawprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/nicole1_opt.jpg”]

[ot-caption title=”Drape Piece (via Nicole Maharaj, Junior)” url=”https://pcpawprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Drape-Piece_opt.jpg”]

Here is what Nicole had to say about her art when she sat down with Type One this week.

T1: When did you begin to draw?

Nicole: Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been drawing. My earliest memory of me drawing was in second grade, during Hurricane Wilma. My older brother and I had absolutely nothing to do during the several days that the power was out. During that spare time, I asked my brother to give me drawing lessons, as I looked up to him for his talents. From that moment on, art became my favorite class. After school, I would come home and draw various artifacts around my house: the dilapidated fountain that was rusting with age, the old, white wicker chairs on my porch, glasses and mugs strewn around my kitchen. My second grade art teacher insisted that I take outside art classes, and since then, art has been a part of my everyday life.

T1: Are you taking any art classes this year? What are you most looking forward to in this class?

Nicole: I am in AP Drawing and Painting, where I will submit twenty four pieces by the end of the year (twelve breadth pieces, and twelve concentration pieces). Although most people despise the one-week deadlines, I actually enjoy them. I look forward to putting a lot of time and effort into my pieces, and the seven days that I have forces me to sit down and work. I’m excited to have my portfolio done and see the progress that I’ve made this year.

T1: Are you currently working on anything?

Nicole: Currently, I’m super behind in my art class; I’m two projects behind! I’m working on a reflections project, which is designed to allow us to perfect our skill in focusing on highlights and refracted light. I asked my friend, Jacob, to be my model for this project. I convinced him to blow bubbles around school as I took pictures of him. So, we’ll see how this project goes. I’m using acrylic paint on canvas paper.

T1: How would you define your artistic style?

Nicole: My artistic style is something that I’m still trying to figure out myself. What I have realized in the past few months is that the projects designed to work on technique and structure such as drawing a glass cup or a skeleton are the most boring for me. I find myself easily distracted and I procrastinate in finishing them. The projects that allow me to be more expressive and incorporate many ideas–for example, one of our assignments was a human morph project, where we combined the human form with nature–are those that I found the most interesting.

T1: Are there any specific artists that you draw inspiration from?

Nicole: I gather my ideas from a variety of artists, really. I mean, my projects wouldn’t be anything without Pinterest, the source of all my ideas. Pinterest is basically a social networking site, where you can upload and pin pictures onto certain boards. For example, if you go to my Pinterest page (my pin name is Nicole Maharaj), you can see all the artwork from modern artists that I base my artwork on. By seeing modern artwork from artists from all around the world, I learn more about the artistic style that I want to develop for myself. I’ve learned about several different types of techniques and tips on using certain mediums. Pinterest is my life saver.

T1: Out of all the photos you submitted which is your favorite and why?

Nicole: My favorite artwork that I’ve submitted would have to be the animal/human morph. Although it generated lots of anxiety for me at first, I found myself relating to the quote that I posted above. I truly did lose myself while making that piece, and what I felt is almost impossible to describe. Even with music playing loudly in the background, I found myself beyond the music, beyond the tests and quizzes that were constantly ravaging my mind, beyond SAT scores and colleges.

[ot-caption title=”(via Nicole Maharaj, Junior)” url=”https://pcpawprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/nicole2_opt.jpg”]

T1: Do you have a certain creative process, such as a time of day or place you prefer to work?

Nicole: My room is the best place for me to work. I have a huge desk that gives me lots of room to put my computer, my canvas/ sketchbook, and my tools. I also have an easel for the projects where I’m painting.