Deanna Reyes, a junior at Hart High School, is not your typical student artist. She is a member of the FIDM fashion club and plans to study fashion design in college. Reyes has been developing her passion for design since she was young.
“When I was little, I enjoyed putting outfits together and playing dress up. I guess I just never grew out of it,” said Reyes.
She realized she wanted to be a fashion designer in middle school and began dedicating time to design and expanding her sewing skills. In order to stay on top of her designs, she often reminds herself of her goals and how she doesn’t have much time left until she has to apply for fashion college. She is currently working on her portfolio for art school.
“My art style is very intricate and I put a lot of effort into detailing my work,” Reyes said. “Throughout my high school career, I have taken Art 1 and Graphic Design [in preparation].”
She is currently enrolled in 2D art. Her current designs are often inspired by the Victorian era and Gilded Age. Her art is also often inspired by angelic themes, with an overall coquette aesthetic.
Reyes recently participated in “Artrepreneurship,” a six-week program where high school students who create art, are taught how to make a profit with their art and how to keep up that business after the program. Participating students were given hats, skateboards, canvases, tote bags and even shoes to design using mediums such as paint markers.
“The instructors taught us how to make sales and deals with the customers. For the end of the six-week event, students in the program had tables set up and sold their art. Overall, the course was an extremely fun and practical program that I would recommend to anyone who likes to create art,” she said.
Art is fundamentally a way to discover yourself and find your own style. Reyes’ art truly shows what she is capable of and has allowed her to find her own artistic identity. With her ability to be inspired by the little things and to make anything she wants into her own style, she will without a doubt go far with her art.