“When I sometimes am in a different and unique place, I see something cool, and it inspires me to want to try to create what I see into art,” sophomore Ashlee Kothenbeutel said.

Kothenbeutel has been pursuing art ever since she was ten years old. “It has always been a way to get my emotions out and to de-stress.” Kothenbeutel said.

This year Kothenbeutel took Studio One and is currently taking Studio Two. “For Studio [One and Two] we always do different drawings and learn about different styles of art. I normally do little drawings in class to just work some things out,” Kothenbeutel said.

One of her favorite styles that she has learned about this year is Fauvism. It is the style of les Fauves, which is a group of early-twentieth century artists whose work consisted of painterly qualities and strong color over the values of Impressionism. “It is cool to be able to learn about all different sorts of art and artists,” Kothenbeutel said.

Kothenbeutel’s favorite type of art is charcoal, specifically abstract. “It doesn’t look good a first. Then, as you layer it with different shadings and tones, it starts to look amazing,” Kothenbeutel said.

“Ashlee has an extreme attention to detail, and she is self-competitive,” art teacher Erin Stellmon said.

Kothenbeutel takes art inspiration from many different things. “My older cousin is amazing at art and is one of the reasons I got into art,” Kothenbeutel said.

Beside her cousin, Kothenbeutel also takes inspiration from the social media platforms Instagram and Tumblr. “There are a lot of cool photos [on Instagram and Tumblr], and I like to look through and see what might inspire me,” Kothenbeutel said.

Kothenbeutel plans on continuing her art. “I always try to make my art better by trying new things,” Kothenbeutel said.

Adriana Guidi is an Entertainment Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.