Alexandria Gilbert
2013 Visual Arts Scholarship Recipient
Alex's love for painting is the highlight of her day, and she finds immense joy in creating her own artwork. Whether reimagining worlds from books, designing characters for games, or interpreting reality and emotions in unique ways, art is her true passion. Alex envisions a career in art as the only path she can see herself pursuing.
Art has always been a part of Alex's life, and she has been drawing for as long as she can remember. Starting with whimsical drawings of characters like Sonic the Hedgehog and fantastical elements inspired by Tolkien, Alex's passion evolved over time. In the seventh grade, she began taking her art more seriously, particularly focusing on manga. Through various art classes and the guidance of a wonderful instructor who became a mentor and friend, Alex committed herself to improving her skills. She embarked on ambitious projects like painting a book cart for her school library, creating murals, designing props for homecoming floats, book covers, and her own illustrations.
Despite putting considerable effort into her recent illustrations, Alex feels that something is missing. She attributes this to a lack of knowledge rather than a lack of effort, as she spends hours on research, planning, and execution. Alex recognizes the challenge of combining different elements in her illustrations and finds the process intimidating. The intensive art lab at Kansas City Art Institute offers her an opportunity to overcome her fears, immerse herself in the experiences of professional illustrators and students, and connect with others who share her fierce passion for art. Believing that attending the Pre-College Art Lab at the KCAI will elevate her art to the next level, Alex sees it as an opportunity to stand out, enhance her skills, and ultimately achieve her dream of inspiring others.