Karolina Ochoa-Montes, 11 Years of Drawing

By Anna Lewis

    Karolina Ochoa-Montes is a visual artist from New York City.  Her strong suit is drawing, which would make sense considering that she has been drawing since the age of five.  Karolina is now sixteen and a sophomore in high school.  Despite only taking one art class that meets two times a week, you would think Karolina takes a class that meets every day, her work is so sophisticated and impressive.  

So how did Karolina become such a talented artist, and how does she keep it up while in high school? I interviewed Karol over lunch.  When I asked Karol if she was ready to be interviewed she smiled and started to giggle.  I’m sure I wasn’t the first person to tell Karol that she is a very talented artist, yet Karol’s giggles reflected modesty, humbleness, and an implausible foreignness to flattery.

Interview

CB - Cool Beans        K - Karolina

CB:  What is the last art project you worked on?

K:  For my sculpture class we were assigned to make a room.  I made a model kitchen, it's very small.  Some of the materials I used were egg carton material, wood, twigs, sticks, and pine cones. 

CB:  So cool!

CB:  What is your strongest and or preferred art form?

K:  Drawing, hands down drawing!

CB: What inspired you to draw as a child, if anything? 

K:  I would have time to draw every day during free time in kindergarten.  I would draw all the time in school.  Drawing became a part of my life and I never really stopped doing it.

CB: What did you draw as a child? 

K: I would draw houses, people, cartoons, friends, the normal kid stuff. 

CB:  Who is your favorite artist and does their work inspire and/or influence your work?

K:  I don’t really have one particular favorite artist.  My favorite era of art work would be the Renaissance.  My artwork is not reminiscent Renaissance artwork, but I think the magnificence of Renaissance artwork pushes me to work harder in my art work. 

CB:  For whom do you produce your artwork, if anyone?

K:  I make my work for myself.

CB:  What is it like being a teen artist in NYC?

K: Living in NYC, everywhere you go there is art.  There is so much inspiration all around you, you can’t not see it.  I think everyone is inspired by NYC, even if they aren’t artists.  What gives me the most inspiration in NYC are the people, New Yorkers are so diverse.

CB:  Is it hard to be an artist and a high school student at the same time?

K:  Yes, academic classes take up most of my time.  If I had more free time I would start several different art projects that reflect life in NYC.  I would also take more art classes at school but right now I just don’t have room in my schedule. 

CB:  Do you hope to sell your artwork?

K:  Yes, but first I need more practice!  I am open to the idea for in the future.  I think it would be interesting if I worked on commissioned portraits. 

CB:  What do you want to do when you grow up?

K:  I want to be an interior designer.  Although I love drawing I don’t think I will pursue it as a career, but it will definitely always be a part of me, and always be something that I do.  I think that interior design incorporates the visual arts side of me which is why I like it.