After doing artwork for several years, Senior Sophie Bocanegra is beginning her next step in life with an acceptance to San Francisco’s Academy of Art University. Through painting and drawing, she has always found a way to relieve herself of the stresses of her day-to-day life, which is what led her to pursue it after high school. 

   Going to an art-based University can provide its students with opportunities to enter internships and business skills for their future careers. Despite the difficulties of pursuing a job in the arts workforce, the chances are so much greater when you have professional experience. 

   Although there are many types of colleges out there, art college was especially appealing to Bocanegra because, along with the benefits above, she also liked the amount of time she would be creating art.  

     “When you do art as a passion, you usually only do it when you have time, but if I were to study art in college, it would be built into my daily schedule. That is exactly what I want,” said Bocanegra. 

   Not only does the university offer her a large amount of focus time, but they provide her with experienced mentors, an environment-specific for crafting, a vast number of materials of the highest quality, and multiple different specialized art programs.

   “If I can create the paintings I do now with the supplies I have, then I can only imagine what I could create with theirs. I know you do not need the best of the best to be successful, but it sure doesn’t hurt,” said Bocanegra. 

   Since she can remember, she has been doing art but only got serious about this roughly six years ago when art classes became a part of her high school curriculum. Since then, she has worked her way up to an independent study art class, which allows her to work on artwork in a secluded environment alone. 

   Some of Bocanegra’s most significant achievements include having a piece displayed in the Northwest Coney Island and most recently in the Ella Sharp Museum of Art, which she is incredibly proud of.

   “Being successful in my passion for artwork is so important to me because I want my pieces to be someday hanging up in a gallery. It catches someone’s eye, and they look to the creator and see  Sophie Bocanegra,” said Bocanegra. 

   High school teacher Julie Evers, who has been Bocanegra’s art advisor for four years, has been one of the key factors in helping her grow in her skillset. 

   “Working with Sophie has been a pleasure of mine, and I have seen so much improvement in her over the years,” said Evers. 

   With much work to do in the upcoming years, Bocanegra aspires to advance in and perfect her artwork to eventually become the artist everyone looks at infamous galleries worldwide.