Micheli Venckus ’18 is an accounting major with a passion for painting. She has been painting, drawing and creating for most of her life.
Grace Klooster: When did you begin painting and why?
Micheli Venckus: I began painting when I was around 12 years old. I have been painting, drawing and creating things all my life, but when I was in middle school, I began to put more effort into my artwork. I love to create things.
GK: Have any of your pieces ever been featured in a gallery or show?
MV: During my senior year of high school I was in the Advanced Placement art studio class and got to feature all of my favorite pieces I created that year in the art show at Wheaton North High School. I also had a piece featured on the walls of Blick Art Materials in Wheaton, Ill.
GK: How would you describe your personal artistic style?
MV: I am not sure how to describe my personal artistic style. I kind of like to try everything. I do like to put a lot of detail into my art. I really like to incorporate surrealism and abstraction into my pieces, and I like to use a lot of color.
GK: How did you arrive at this particular style?
MV: I am very detail oriented and love to make things look realistic (when they need to look realistic).
GK: In the process of creating a piece, when are you most challenged?
MV: I think I am most challenged when I realize I don’t like how something looks. I often just start putting what is in my head onto the canvas, and sometimes I don’t like how it turns out. It can be difficult to know what to do next, which is why it is useful for artists to plan ahead.
GK: What has been your favorite piece to create?
MV: I think my favorite piece to create has been the piece I made for my final in my two-dimensional design class. I really like how it turned out. I hadn’t painted with oil paint since high school, so it was awesome to be able to use it again. I also had never done a surrealist style composition before. It was something I really liked and continue to try.
GK: Where does your inspiration come from?
MV: Honestly, I draw inspiration from anything. You really can take anything and use it as your inspiration for art, which I love.
