Zoey Genest

Myrtle Beach, SC

I am Zoey-a going on 18-year-old artist who has dedicated seven years of my life to perfecting my style and technique. Most of my art consists of character creation and game art, occasionally dipping my pencil into realism and portraiture. The spark that brought me into doing art was my sister. My sister, Sommer, always had these unique and interesting character designs that always seemed to draw me in. There was this one specific original character she made: a pink ice skating alien with a very feminine and bratty attitude. Sommer had made her just for me. That's when it all clicked for me-that art was my way of showing my appreciation. From there on, I worked to be the best artist I could. I know I wasn't the best. I didn't have the raw talent that most people had. As the years went on, and I practiced and practiced, art became math equations in my head I had to solve. It was all a sequence of events for me: if I needed to push the value, I would also push the red and deepen the shadow. That is how it has been the last two years of attending the Academy of Arts, Science, and Technology. Being here meant I needed to push myself to the best of my abilities. It's grueling, and a lot of hard work, but I am trying my best.