Imagine being able to participate in an art contest with numerous forms of creativity. The Expressions Art contest is exactly that. This year’s competition will include visual art, music composition, literature, choreography, photography, and film production.

Yet this competition is unique since it allows staff to participate and showcase their talents aside from their jobs on campus. Mrs. Ramos, the Day Creek secretary, joined the contest with her art.

“I like the opportunity that I can paint and share it for everyone to see. I did visual art, so I painted on a canvas. I like that it’s not competitive in a sense where I’m competing with international artists and it’s very local. I like that other students participate, and I like getting their feedback.”

Ramos began to grow in her visual arts experience at a young age, doing drawings with characters from Star Wars. 

“I went to a studio one time, and just liked the atmosphere of listening to music and not having to feel rushed. I decided to do it as a hobby,” said Mrs. Ramos.

She has entered previous competitions in art before deciding to compete in the Expressions Art Contest.

“I have submitted a couple of my paintings to some museums. The point of my work is to have it presented and displayed, and I like to get feedback from [other] artists,” Mrs Ramos said.

Though art is a hobby for Mrs. Ramos, it can also be challenging.

“First of all, I have to do a lot of time management and it depends on what the message is that I’m trying to get across. The hardest part is narrowing it down to what I really want to paint. It can take me a couple of hours or a couple of days. I really want to focus and make sure that I’m happy with what I’m painting,” Mrs. Ramos said.

Mrs. Ramos said that the drive behind her submissions is to show her artwork and what it represents. She likes to win contests when she can.

“I’m always on the lookout to see what museums are accepting artwork and if it’s something that interests me. If it’s a contest, I’m submitting it for the purpose of getting an award, but mainly just to be able to say, ‘Hey that’s my painting, and it’s out in display somewhere,’” said Mrs. Ramos.