Sajar: How long have you been taking the AP art class?

Aya: I have taken it since my sophomore year. I am planning on taking it in fall and spring, so I will be taking the class four times.

Sajar: What does your painting represent?

Aya: It is my story with religion and identity. It describes how some of my identity and values conflicted with my religious beliefs and temptation.

Sajar: What inspired you to do this piece?

Aya: My personal experiences inspired me to paint about it because most often I do not have an outlet for how I feel so what helps me is to paint them and put all my emotion in them.

Sajar: How long did the painting take you?

Aya: It’s a big canvas so it took me around 15 hours. 

Sajar: What are your tips as an AP student?

Aya: The most important thing is to not get caught up by the amount of work. There is so much going on especially in AP Art. I recommend getting your sketches done on time, planning out your piece, and letting there be room for you to experiment.

Sajar: Did you face any challenges while creating your piece?

Aya: Definitely, especially with the shading, I wanted to focus on the fading and the expression given on her face. What I did to capture that was extenuating the features of the face but even then it was still a challenge.

Sajar: What is your favorite part about your piece?

Aya: I really like how the meaning of the piece was shown. That sort of freedom and inspiration you get when you first step into a religion. 

Sajar: What are your tips for art?

Aya: Take it to the next step, try and incorporate yourself into the artwork and that is when you will truly see improvement. Be authentic to yourself and your work.