Kris Schenkel

The Arts of Life is like a new family. They give me the opportunity to expand my artwork. Art makes me feel good because your mind is free from other things. Your mind is focused. It keeps me out of trouble. I like to share my artwork with other coworkers and get ideas from them and they teach me things. I’m learning still life techniques and playing with shading. I make art in all different sizes and shapes, styles, and different ways. I’m looking at books to learn how to draw. Most of my artwork involves a lot of fine detail, which I am good at because I have a lot of patience and am not easily frustrated. The picture is always very clear, and I make sure that my use of color makes the image stand out. Like I said before, my artwork involves a lot of fine detail. Happiness. Something beautiful comes out, something unique, whether it’s done on paper, a board, or a window. Things start to jump out, like a rabbit springing out. It makes you feel good. It’s cheerful and bright and makes your day better and makes you happy. I use aluminum foil in my drawings so the viewer can see something more in it. If you interact with the painting and have more than one thing to connect to it, it gives a sense of pride, humor and you get a laugh out of it – it’s not just a painting. No, you get, “This guy – he knows what he’s doing.”  I would like more people to see my artwork so that more support comes to Arts of Life and to myself. I would Iike for other artists or people from outside of Arts of Life to come in and get inspiration for their own work. They can also share their ideas with us. This family at Arts of Life comes together to share ideas with each other. They provide inspiration, as do other people from outside of the studio. I also get inspired by everyday things like a wall or a window or maybe something on PBS channel 11. I bring those ideas into Arts of Life and we work on them. Then I bring those ideas back outside and see what I can teach to others. My mom and dad inspire me because otherwise I wouldn’t be here and know what Arts of Life is about. I’d like to do further teaching to inspire more people, and teach others at the studio.