ACE has a lot of unknown artistic talent. We have artists, muralists, sketch artists, painters, cartoonists and many others. 

Here is a gallery of just a few pieces of ACE art that can be seen around the building: 

I sat down with Alyssa Voytek, our Art teacher. Here is our interview on her creative point of view of her part in the ACE Art Culture

What Artwork do you enjoy doing the most? 
“I really love drawing—with anything, but especially BIG and with charcoal. I like the physical relationship that comes from working on a large-scale piece and I like being able to really get my hands dirty; to build up the material I’m working with and really push it to its limits.”

What inspires your work?

“I draw inspiration from the quiet, un-staged, often unseen moments of everyday life. For example, moments of light or shadow, organic repetition or of reflection.”

What is the biggest challenge of being an artist?
“I think the biggest challenge of being an artist, whether you’re just starting out or are a well-oiled machine, is figuring out how to tell your fear to shut up and just make the work. That and time; there is never enough time.”

What is a good outlook/ What is important to remember while living an artistic/creative
life?
“Slow down. Always stay open-minded and open-hearted. See others as collaborators, not competition. Pay attention to the little things; they are beautiful. Never stop asking questions. Keep growing.”

How do you stay motivated while working on a challenging piece?
“Eva Hesse said, ‘It is better to be at the beach thinking about [making art in] the studio, than to be at the studio thinking about the beach.’ Meaning, there is always a point where you have to walk away, take a break. Sometimes we lose steam and need to recharge…whatever that means for each of us. We gain inspiration from the world around us, our experiences, our relationships, our environment. Sometimes when we’re stuck or exhausted, we must step away and re-immerse ourselves in the thing that made us want to paint in the first place. Then it comes easy; at some point you just can’t wait to get back to it with fresh eyes and energy.”

What advice do you have to give to me in my position (student/young artist)?
“It sounds so cliché…I know because I thought, ‘How cliché..’ every time someone said it to me throughout high school and early in college… but practice, practice, practice and KEEP GOING. If you want to make art, make it. Keep making it. Make bad art until it turns good. You’ll know when it happens. But you have to honor the process of learning a new skill, overcome the challenges, and really push yourself. Believe in yourself and your ability to do something hard, be brave enough to use your visual voice. Tell your story—make the work.”

Alyssa is a extraordinary artist and has her work published in her online gallery.

Please visit her artwork.

ACE is very grateful to have Alyssa as our Art teacher and she is a big part of ART in ACE.