By Chloe Mee
The first thing that catches a viewer’s eye when they admire Melissa’s work is the attention to detail and realistic colour schemes that cover her artwork. Melissa Balun is a new grade nine student at Collingwood who has a strong passion for the pieces that she creates, taking in the beauty she witnesses around her and recreating it on paper. Her work varies from simply sketching, to layering conte and blending the hues to create shading.
Before attending Collingwood, Melissa went to St. Thomas Aquinas for eighth grade, which was her first real chance to be in an art class. She is flourishing in her art class now, taking advantage of all of the mediums being taught. In particular, she enjoys sketching in her journal. When Melissa was younger, she would go to art programs and create ceramics afterschool. Presently, she uses her spare time to unleash her artistic talent by painting, making jewellery, and sketching. When asked what her favourite part of creating these masterpieces is, Melissa responded, “The thing I like most about art is how you are making something out of nothing. You can start with a blank page or a chunk of clay and set your imagination free.”
Aside from art, Melissa’s favourite subject is Science. Science is one of her interests because she loves discovering the logic and reasoning behind the world. Math is a close second. Running is her favourite athletic activity, as she finds it “very calming, fun, and empowering.” On weekends, she also looks forward to having a swim. As well as sketching in her free time, Melissa enjoys knitting, tutoring, and reading. Reading is one of her favourite hobbies, and she spends the majority of her free time doing so.
The first thing that catches a viewer’s eye when they admire Melissa’s work is the attention to detail and realistic colour schemes that cover her artwork. Melissa Balun is a new grade nine student at Collingwood who has a strong passion for the pieces that she creates, taking in the beauty she witnesses around her and recreating it on paper. Her work varies from simply sketching, to layering conte and blending the hues to create shading.
Before attending Collingwood, Melissa went to St. Thomas Aquinas for eighth grade, which was her first real chance to be in an art class. She is flourishing in her art class now, taking advantage of all of the mediums being taught. In particular, she enjoys sketching in her journal. When Melissa was younger, she would go to art programs and create ceramics afterschool. Presently, she uses her spare time to unleash her artistic talent by painting, making jewellery, and sketching. When asked what her favourite part of creating these masterpieces is, Melissa responded, “The thing I like most about art is how you are making something out of nothing. You can start with a blank page or a chunk of clay and set your imagination free.”
Aside from art, Melissa’s favourite subject is Science. Science is one of her interests because she loves discovering the logic and reasoning behind the world. Math is a close second. Running is her favourite athletic activity, as she finds it “very calming, fun, and empowering.” On weekends, she also looks forward to having a swim. As well as sketching in her free time, Melissa enjoys knitting, tutoring, and reading. Reading is one of her favourite hobbies, and she spends the majority of her free time doing so.
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When Melissa creates her artwork, it goes much further than simply drawing something. She looks past what she is drawing and sees something deeper. “I do believe that a person’s artwork reflects their personality. I think art is very personal and expressive. Everyone has preferred styles, colours, mediums, and more – all of which are used to conjure up a piece that is unique. Through a person’s artwork, you can see something about them. Whether it be their precision through the detail in their work or their bubbly personality through their use in fun colours and patterns.”
Her favourite piece that she has completed is the one she drew for her class’s Memory Project. The class was given a picture of a young refugee and had the task of creating a portrait for them. Not only was this her first time using her favourite medium, conte, but she saw a deeper message behind the project. “This was my favourite piece I made because of the purpose behind creating it, which was to bring a bit of happiness into the life of a child in a terrible situation and going through a hard time.” Melissa finds that art is a form of relaxation, but can also lighten up any day by helping one forget their worries. “By creating something magnificent, I feel like you become more aware of the magnificent things around you and begin to appreciate them more.”
Her favourite piece that she has completed is the one she drew for her class’s Memory Project. The class was given a picture of a young refugee and had the task of creating a portrait for them. Not only was this her first time using her favourite medium, conte, but she saw a deeper message behind the project. “This was my favourite piece I made because of the purpose behind creating it, which was to bring a bit of happiness into the life of a child in a terrible situation and going through a hard time.” Melissa finds that art is a form of relaxation, but can also lighten up any day by helping one forget their worries. “By creating something magnificent, I feel like you become more aware of the magnificent things around you and begin to appreciate them more.”
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Melissa’s advice for aspiring artists is to take risks. “Don’t be afraid to take risks! I am a serious perfectionist but art has taught me that it is okay to make mistakes. They are a part of learning, and all mistakes are beneficial and just happy errors because they can stem to something even more gorgeous.” She has developed from her risks and has refrained from worrying too much about her final piece. “Creating art is a process that is not usually a perfectly paved path. I have happily fallen away from my determined ‘perfect’ path, allowing myself to try and make mistakes, which, in the end, leads to better work.”
Although Melissa is not thinking of pursuing a job that specifically involves art, she still would like to keep it as a part of her life. Art enables her to relax and feel peaceful at the end of a day. “I think art has and will continue to help me grow as a more mindful and peaceful person who is more aware of myself and who I am as a person.” We wish her the best with her artistic prowess and meaningful pieces!
Although Melissa is not thinking of pursuing a job that specifically involves art, she still would like to keep it as a part of her life. Art enables her to relax and feel peaceful at the end of a day. “I think art has and will continue to help me grow as a more mindful and peaceful person who is more aware of myself and who I am as a person.” We wish her the best with her artistic prowess and meaningful pieces!