Imagine yourself as an artist, facing many challenges every day, and coming up with new ideas. Being able to express yourself with your drawings & ideas is one of the many things that you can do as an artist.  Someone at WMS that embodies these traits is Kyra Balon. She is 15 years old and an 8th grader! Her family moved here 3 years ago when the shutdown happened. Alone, leaving everything behind. Now in a town that she barely knew, art kept her company. 

Kyra Balon is a student well known in this school. Why is she well known among the students? She’s well known because she is very creative, and always has her sketchbook in her arms.   Balon said, “My art is powered by my emotions, it also represents what I feel.” She is very connected to her feelings because of her art which has helped her to thrive. Her inspirations are her friends, family, and her surroundings. The majority of her drawings were created from simple thoughts that led to a grand idea. 

One of the many challenges that Balon faces being an artist is that people underestimate her all the time. She said, “We are faced with stereotypes of what art should look like and that realism is the best art in the world, which is very incorrect.” Art comes in many forms that bring certain emotions to the world. Art shouldn’t be categorized as good or bad. Another example of a challenge for her is art block. The definition of an art block is when your motivation has dried out. She sometimes has periods where she isn’t able to come up with new ideas for her art. 

This is very common with artists around the world. She uses this time to balance out her life activities.  “Sometimes inspiration doesn’t come to you. Sometimes you might experience an art block, and it’s good to take advantage of this art block by dividing your work with school and family,” said Balon.

I think that art should just represent what the artist is feeling. Art is a beautiful way to express yourself and create ideas for reality. 

Digital art is becoming more popular with newer technology coming out, and animation taking over the art world. Balon discussed the importance of digital art and traditional art.

 “ I think that people should do whatever feels right for them. I do both, and I’m learning to do animation,” said Balon. She wants to gain experience in both forms so that she can turn it into a career in the future. Her dream is to become an animator for kids’ movies, and her favorite animator is Kyra Kupetsky.

She hopes that her art can inspire someone into creating their own! She wouldn’t be who she is without art in her life. Balon stated, “Art is everything I knew in my life. I started drawing very young, and I don’t know who I would be without it.” 

Gallery • 7 Photos

I feel sick