Ava Greenbaum
Artist Statement
I have always had an internal itch to create art, design objects, and inspire people. The art I create is the gateway to my mind and creative expression. I use themes of nature, space, magical realism, emotion, dreams, and the city of Philadelphia to expand my art's purpose. In the future, I hope to study mixed media design, industrial design, graphic design, and fine arts. I have always found joy and inspiration in the textures, colors, and dimensions of the world around me. I often get lost in the perspective of buildings in the city near my school.
With my art practice, I have learned how to express what I see. Whether it’s a family trip to the Poconos or a family of deer on my front lawn, I treasure the natural world by creating art. I use negative space, line work, shape, and form and have explored and fallen in love with collage work. I have been inspired by the classes I have taken at local art colleges. At the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, I took an after-school oil painting course in my junior year and a one-week intensive watercolor class over the summer. This year on the weekends, I go to Moore College of Art and Design and get to grapple with graphic design, collage work, and typography.
Collaging for me is telling a story through snippets of photos that emulate emotion and movement. Connecting different realities to my art and taking advantage of my scattered mind makes it easier to pinpoint the message I try to represent through each piece. Exploring different materials in the art world is exciting to me especially after I was introduced to building sculptures and crafting jewelry. Using wood, metals, and stones has opened my eyes to hundreds of creative possibilities, and I wish to extend my knowledge and skill so I can perfect my art and learn more about myself.
My biggest lesson over the past four years has been learning not to compare myself to others. All artists have a style that is unique to them, and I have been given the freedom to find mine. Before winning the art award last year, I had never won an award, and it felt very empowering to get recognized for something I am good at. Not only did it motivate me to keep creating, but it also reassured me that I’m heading in the right direction.