Jessica Lawson has been a finalist in national and international art competitions, won awards, scholarships, been selected for IHSAE, got all-Conference in Art this spring, and earned every bit of it.

 She is working towards some big goals, like getting a bachelors in product design and a minor in visual arts. Jessica uses art as her way to communicate when the words don’t come through. She can use her creativity to channel thoughts or block out stress by creating art or playing music (Which by the way she is great at). She really just loves to create, she switches between so many different styles of art as a way to challenge herself and learn, something she’s been finding through mixed media, as it’s a more difficult style. Part of her hard work comes from her high standards for herself to always learn and try, this definitely shows in her work. She’s mentioned that she has seen and is proud of how far her work has come and the feedback she’s gotten at competitions that allow her to refine some of her skills. When she creates her works she does it with the hope that they “evoke certain emotions”, she wants people to feel a personal connection to her work in their interpretations and just enjoy them, as well as help inspire other artists. 

Reflecting on her time at Warren now that she’s a senior, she said that she really appreciated the diversity opportunities, and all the staff who work so hard. She’s enjoyed the lessons her time has taught her as well as the fact that while Warren might not be the school with the most money it has so much character, that is what made her proud to be a Warren student in her time here. 

While she said that she’s not the best at words, I found her last comment on what she recommends to other artists to be really inspirational. “If I had to recommend one thing to other artists, it’s to never be too hard on your artwork. Sometimes artists have periods of ugly work and that’s just a part of the messy process. These times of feeling stuck are great ways to experiment and reflect on your artwork. Another thing I would recommend is to not place the worth of an artist based on the awards they’ve received. Being an award winning artist in my opinion doesn’t make that artist any better than someone who has never won anything. If every person on earth had a medal for every work of art, every artist would be rewarded. Anyone can be given an award if they have that goal in mind, but the artist should always be better than their art. People who care more about winning over anything else are people who are never satisfied and always bring others down to get what they want. An award doesn’t measure the heart of an artist, it just measures the quality of their artwork. For that reason, not every person who creates art, no matter how amazing it is, should be called an artist. It’s easy to tell the world how many awards you’ve won, but it takes discipline to receive those awards in silence. People who respect their craft and their fellow peers are people who should be called artists; it’s not always the people with all the medals. So, don’t worry if you haven’t won anything, there’s no real way to judge art anyway.” 

Jessica is truly a talented, kind and humble human being who I know will do great things at CLC and MIAD

Interview with Mr. Oddo

How long have you worked with Jessica? I have worked with Jessica in my Ceramics studio for two years. 

What have your experiences with her been? Jessica has a broad based skill set in the Visual Arts. It has been fun to guide her through the various creative ideas she has developed. Jessica has also been a tremendous worker in the studi. She is a force to be reckoned with every day and sets her standards high. She has represented WTHS in several Art competitions and exhibitions, highlighted by being selected for the IHSAE (Illinois High School Art Exhibit) and earning All-Conference in Art this spring.

What kind of opportunities do you see for her? I see her gradually refining her skills through college and finding her way through sheer determination to a great career that involves art making and sharing her passion and drive for all things artistic.

Any favorite pieces of hers or memories?

1. So many of her pieces are my favorite! But it would boil down to this painting and this piece of pottery.( Shown Elsewhere) 

1. Anything else you want to share about her? 
   1. Jessica has been a tremendous representative of the WTHS Art Department. We are grateful for all of her contributions to the program and her willingness to “pay it forward” to future generations of Blue Devil.

Interview with Mrs. Knutson

How long have you worked with Jessica?

Jessica was in my Drawing 2 and 2D Independent Study class her junior year and 2D Independent Study 2 her senior year.

What has your experiences with her been?

Jessica is driven to learn everything she can about different artists, techniques, and styles. She is at her best when she is being challenged. And if the lesson or I don’t provide it for her then she will create one for herself. Which is why is such a well-rounded artist and talented individual.

What kind of opportunities do you see for her? 

Jessica has quite a few options after high school which I know is totally overwhelming. Whatever she decides to do I know she’ll be successful. She’s determined and refuses to take no for an answer. That coupled with her design aesthetic will take her far in the art business world. 

Any favorite pieces of hers or memories?

I honestly appreciate all of her work but I really like her charcoal drawings. She has been using mixed media lately too which has been interesting. 

Something I will always remember about Jessica is her willingness to try new things and accept feedback from all of us. She is always striving to be better. 

My favorite funny memory is “I see a cat.”  We were talking about how when people view abstract art they feel they need to find something in the abstraction to make sense of the work. Most people can’t deal with not having a realistic image to hold onto. Anyway,

I randomly said something about how people would say, “I see a cat,” in order to accept abstract imagery. Ever since then I’ve had cats drawn on my board, a cat drawing for my wall and even a cat ceramic dish all from Jessica. I will save these and giggle every time I look at them for years to come. 

Anything else you want to share about her? She’s also a very talented musician!