CSFOA Annual Scholarship Winner (2014)

Hello, I am Crystal Modeste. I am a senior at Coral Glades High School, and will be graduating in June.

Fantasy and videogames has always been one of my greatest interests and inspirations. Since middle school, I have used this as a muse for my art. Thanks to these factors, I was able to start creating art with an almost abstract way of telling a story.

Throughout my life, I’ve struggled with being highly self-conscious due my physical disabilities, such as having to wear a prosthetic leg. I had it in my mind that in comparison to others, I would never be as good. That being said, I had never attempted to make a big deal out of my art. This all changed when I met some of my best friends, who had encouraged me to draw more, and get more enthusiastic about it. They truly are the ones who helped me get to where I am today.

During high school, I decided to take as many art classes as I could. In senior year, I started taking AP Studio Art and doing illustrations for my school’s newspaper, The Prowl. To my surprise, these two actions I took have led me to many opportunities. They have given me the chance to practice using a variety of styles and mediums, as well as a new sense of confidence in my abilities as an artist.

This has all led to some of my greatest accomplishments as an artist. During the year, my illustrations in newspaper have received many awards and praise; I even received an All Florida award in 2014 Florida Scholastic Press Association Spring Digital Contest, which is the highest award you can get there. The fact that I was awarded the Coral Spring Artist Guild scholarship has been pretty much the icing in the cake so far.

All of this training I’ve done so far in an effort to become an illustrator in the future, and do concept art for award winning videogames and films. I’ll be able to live out my dream of telling a story through the visuals n our entertainment.

Crystal Modeste – Artist Statement

To be honest, art is my plan for the future! I have a passion for creating though provoking and engaging pieces out of a once blank canvas; the idea of creating a story purely by the art laid down I’ve been trying to explore throughout my years of practice. With this fascination, I plan on cultivation my future.

After I complete high school this year, I intend on studying illustration in college. During this time, I will have a particular concentration in concept art, as well as doing freelance to get as much practice as possible. Once my studies in college conclude, I plan in taking my experience from there and going into the work place as a concept artist for both videogames and movies.

In either field, I hope to make a difference. With new technologies, the visuals in both mediums of entertainment are rapidly evolving and improving, and it is my plan to be a part of that with my own skills particularly in drawing. Using my craft, I want to help create new styles and theme never before seen in entertainment that will capture the viewer’s attention, and leave them questioning and inspired.