Kevin Israel Garcia By Making Graffiti

I always drew as a kid, and I would often get in trouble for drawing instead of paying attention in class. During high school, I discovered my art abilities by making graffiti; it was one of my first mediums of expression until I began taking drawing classes at Hunter College where I began to draw from real life. These classes changed my life so much, pushing me away from trouble and allowing me to create pieces for class. I finally had a space where I was allowed to do work.

I want to study art at the Art Students League of New York because I want to discover new art styles. I want to network, meet new artists, and learn from different backgrounds. I want to be able to practice, develop, and create more art alongside my peers. I want to discover more and find myself deeper as I draw. I want to become an artist’s student and become a teacher to future students. I aspire to become an artist and an accountant since I’m pretty good with numbers, but I can’t live without drawing. It has become such a part of me that I can’t simply let go of the pencil. I’m deeply influenced by Pablo Picasso and Jean-Michel Basquiat, both Hispanic artists whose lives and art styles have inspired many. During high school, I worked near Basquiat’s Great Jones Studio where I first heard of him and would often visit after work. I like the abstraction and the realistic aspect of Picasso and the expressionism that Basquiat puts into each drawing.