“ Nostalgic” by Vanessa Vazquez won first place at the Spring 2025 Youth Art Month competition at The Arts Center in Moultrie. The painting’ s cool tones evoke the crisp air of snow-capped mountains in its almost lifelike portrait of a horse, standing majestically in a lush, green field.
to convey their emotions through their work, Vanessa found herself looking at the finished product days later, struck by its depth.
“ I realized it looked really good. I thought, wow, I could really do this. It stopped feeling like just a hobby-- it felt like something I am.”
Encouraged by her high school ceramics teacher, Vanessa began taking her artistic aspirations more seriously.
“ She really helped shape how I see ceramics,” she says.
Though undecided on where she wants to attend college, Vanessa is determined to pursue a bachelor’ s degree in either visual arts or ceramics. She envisions herself as a professional ceramicist or muralist, perhaps even creating large-scale works for cafes, businesses, or public spaces. While she once considered tattoo artistry, she now sees her path stretching toward a larger canvas.
As a teenager navigating life and art simultaneously, Vanessa acknowledges how her age impacts her perception and expression.
“ I know I still have a lot to go through,” she says thoughtfully.“ It affects the way I see things and how I adjust to situations. That shows up in my art.”
30 MoultrieScene SEPTEMBER 2025