Although very underground and unknown, the art scene at Coral Springs Charter is anything but dead. In fact, it is a thriving community full of aspiring artists. One of them, Rachel Streder, provided her perspective and insight into her journey as an artist.

Her ambitions began in elementary school. There, she developed her passion for art after an art project designing a poster board. From then on, Rachel invested heavily into art, often drawing in her sketchbook her favorite characters from cartoons and anime. The introduction of social media further aided her efforts. She cited “TikTok and Instagram” as places of inspiration. Seeing the art of her peers and of people elsewhere motivated her to begin seriously pursuing art as a hobby. It has been 3 years since she made this decision.

However, the mix of art and social media served as a double-edged sword. The vast amounts of art available on social media platforms helped inspire this young artist. However, it also began to implant seeds of doubt. According to Rachel, one of the biggest challenges she faced on her art journey was comparing herself to what she saw online. “There would be so many artists out there that are just so much better.” However, she regained her bearings by keeping in mind “people go at different paces”. Additionally, she acknowledged the years of ups and downs her favorite artists had to endure to get to their current positions.

Her biggest inspirations to continue pursuing art were Mrs. Lindsay and Kiyoshi Proverbs. Mrs. Lindsay is the host of the High School Art Club. In it, students partake in various mediums of artistic expression. Rachel said this creative environment “opened my eyes to all the different types of art”. Likewise, Kiyoshi, a talented artist herself, has been a role model for her, with Rachel stating “I look up to her”.

For many aspiring artists like Rachel, she gave a number of useful tips. She encouraged the heavy usage of references and practice, especially in regard to real life poses and forms. Most importantly, she emphasized the need to develop and maintain a unique style you can call your own.

There is truly incredible talent here at Charter. We hope Rachel’s story may resonate with other members of the Charter artist community, maybe even inspire a few to pursue their dreams. Stay safe, Panthers!