At a Glance:

Favorite fast food: Raising Canes

Favorite song: “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cook

Favorite artist: A combination of people from the Hudson River School

Favorite art style: Impressionism or realism

Looking Deeper:

The Red Ledger: What extracurriculars are you involved in?

Jenna Garcia: Art, orchestra, Junior World Affairs Council (JWAC), Academic Decathlon, Academic UIL for Literary Criticism, Social Studies and current issues and events.

TRL: How long have you done art?

JG: I’ve been doing art ever since I can remember, but I started taking it more seriously around fifth grade after my teacher informed us about certain art competitions that we could compete in. 

TRL: What inspired you to start art?

JG: When I was little, I first began drawing by copying scenes that I saw from nature documentaries, which I used to absolutely love as a child. As a result, most of my drawings were  either of animals or landscapes that I observed from television. This influence never quite left me, as much of my art still revolves around nature. However, I’ve shifted from drawing from other people’s photos and videos to going outside and observing and photographing nature myself, including methods such as catching crawfish from a local pond and setting up a game camera to observe wildlife crossing near my house. The observations gained from these experiences are then used as reference to create pieces such as large oil paintings.

TRL: Are you planning to continue art in college?

JG: I am planning on joining an art program in college, and I am looking to find a way to combine my passions for art and sciences such as biology and environmental science. As a result, I am planning on taking a multi-disciplinary approach to my future studies. 

TRL: What is the 20 under 20 award from the Dallas/Fort Worth World Affairs Council?

JG: 20 under 20 is an award from the Dallas World Affairs Council that honors 20 high school students under the age of 20 in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex who are active in their local Junior World Affairs Council club and “exemplify what it means to be a global citizen” by displaying their proven leadership skills and interest in foreign policy and global issues. Those who are accepted as part of 20 under 20 are invited to three leadership seminars over the summer as well as other council events. 

TRL: Who has supported you throughout your art career?

JG: One of my greatest sources of support has always been my art teacher Brice McCasland. I came up to him as a freshman and told him about my interest in art. He has gone above and beyond to help me grow and improve my skills ever since. As a result, I have been a part of the Lovejoy Visual Arts program throughout high school, and I look forward to continuing his classes as an AP drawing student next year. 

TRL: What’s one piece of advice you’d like to give?

JG: Always remember that as long as you’ve worked your hardest to accomplish your goals, you have done great work regardless of the outcome, whether it be for competitions, college admissions, etc. For many of these situations, the journey is more rewarding than the final destination, so always continue to enjoy life in the moment rather than planning your entire future immediately, as you’ll find that where you end up is always different, and often better, than what you initially planned.