Spotlight: Four Wesleyan Students Display Original Artworks in Artist Market

The Wesleyan Artist Market is one of the premier art exhibits in the Southeast and is known for showcasing art categories that include acrylics, ceramics, illustration, glass, jewelry, mixed media, oils, photography, watercolors, wood and textiles.

A number of Wesleyan Student Artists will be participating in the artist market, in addition to the professional artists who are exhibiting their works. In anticipation of this great art event coming to Peachtree Corners, we spoke with four of the featured student artists to learn about their process, their artworks and what inspires them.

Makenna Wazevich

Middle school student Makenna Wazevich is an accomplished textile artist. Her works include scrunchies, makeup pouches and in a true sign of the times, face masks. Inspired by the pieces she saw on “Project Runway,” she asked her parents for a sewing machine and took to the textile arts immediately. Working both from existing templates and making up her own, Makenna enjoys the process of sourcing the fabrics at local craft stores and then transforming them into beautiful, useful items.

“I start by sketching out the idea, then I create a pattern, then cut out the fabrics, and then figure out how I am going to sew it together,” explained Makenna. “I usually have to do a lot of problem-solving to get the project to turn out how I pictured.”

Bold, geometric designs with eye-catching accent colors ensure that Makenna’s pieces stand out among the crowd. Her careful selection of patterns and textiles result in an elevated style that appeals to consumers of all ages.

Many of her ideas come from images she sees online on sites like Pinterest, and she says her biggest mentors have been her parents. They help to keep her on target for creating her pieces in a timely fashion and have been essential to help her prepare for the Wesleyan Student Market.

During the pandemic Makenna has even found ways to give back by creating face masks that she donates to local hospitals. While she isn’t sure if she wants to pursue textile work as a career instead of a fun hobby, she is looking forward to gaining experience with the marketing and networking that the Artist Market provides.

Suzy Loetscher

Suzy Loetscher, also a middle school student, is exhibiting several watercolor paintings in the Artist Market. Her colorful pieces feature birds, highlighting her deep love for those feathered creatures.“It leads me to get outside in my backyard and look for inspiration,” said Suzy. Inspired not only by the native birds she sees around her home here in Georgia but also near the condo her family owns in Miami, Suzy looks up the birds online and uses those images for reference.

She says being home during the pandemic has provided a unique opportunity to pursue her passions with renewed vigor. “It helps me focus on the other positive things that come from the extra time; it gives me more time.”

Suzy is an inquisitive and curious artist, devoting significant time to learning about her subjects. She read every book in the lower school library at Wesleyan that related to exotic birds — especially parrots, which she says are her favorite.

She has two pet parakeets and is enthralled by birds’ colorful feathers and the freedom of flying. Not bound by a strict adherence to the anatomical colors of birds, Suzy takes liberties and infuses her subjects with a vibrant assortment of colors.

“It’s important to have someone to remind you about the priorities,” Suzy said, speaking of her mother’s consistent support for her in her artistic pursuits. Keeping her on track and pushing her to create are some of the ways her parents encourage her to develop her artistic skills. Her father’s work ethic is inspirational to Suzy and she hopes to incorporate some of those elements into her future works, most notably into a dress concept she says is influenced by his devotion to their family.

Elijah Tian

Intricate motions, patience, time and attention to detail are some of the elements that middle schooler Elijah Tian relies upon to make his paper crafts. Constructed of precisely folded paper, his creations exhibit animals and recognizable items like pineapples.

“I used paper because it is not costly and it is colorful and easy to design,” said Elijah. “Sometimes I may like to make paper crafts because they are fun and get rid of your boredom. Also, it occupies my hands.”

Hoping that his pieces might brighten the lives of others, Elijah is mostly inspired by images he finds online. It is no surprise that this level of precision and an understanding of three-dimensional shapes might lend an inkling to what the future holds for this budding artist. Elijah hopes to be an architect one day, and for many architects, building designs start with sketches followed by renderings and — you guessed it — 3D models often crafted out of paper.

Katherine Graddy

High school student Katherine Graddy will be exhibiting her clay jewelry at the Wesleyan Artist Market. Bright, cheery colors, floral influences and a clear understanding of modern design lend her pieces a decidedly hip aesthetic. It would come as no surprise to find these items for sale at popular boutiques or shops such as Urban Outfitters.

Inspiration and opportunity led to a flurry of creation for Katherine. “A few days before a school dance, I stumbled upon a picture of clay earrings on my timeline,” she said. “I hadn’t realized that clay jewelry even existed, and the opportunity to make art that you could wear seemed so incredible.” The following days were filled with experimentation in the craft, and soon she was developing pieces that she had until then only dreamed of.

Before the pandemic hit, Katherine started selling flowers at a flower cart to benefit the City of Refuge, a faith-based organization dedicated to lifting individuals and families out of crisis. When the shutdowns began, she pivoted her Looking for Lillies campaign and used her newfound free time to transition from florals to jewelry. She also created dozens of pieces that she donated to the women there.

“I truly love to create earrings that can represent the wearers’ personalities, crafting pairs to represent the most unique aspects of who people are,” said Katherine, who hopes to work in nonprofits one day. She considers all that she has learned from making her jewelry and working with the City of Refuge as important experiences and a unique insight into ways that arts can help those in need, all of which she aims to incorporate into her future work.

“The creativity that has been fostered in my life through art will hopefully allow me to find new and unique approaches towards working to create change in a nonprofit environment,” said Katherine. “One thing I know for sure is that art will always be a huge part of my life!”

Shop the Artist Market online

Whether you’re an art connoisseur, shopping for yourself or for loved ones, or simply looking to upgrade your home and wardrobe, consider logging in and checking out the incredible works on display at the fully virtual Wesleyan Artist Market.

As a bonus, pajamas are totally acceptable attire for this year’s exhibit! For more information go online to the Wesleyan Artist Market website at artistmarket.wesleyanschool.org.