This week on Artistic Expressions, staff reporter Rachel Kim sits down with Mika Lal. Lal talks about her involvement and inspirations in art.
Mika Lal
Name: Mika Lal
Grade: 12th
Inspiration: Hayao Miyazaki
Future job: Experimental psychologist
Wingspan: When did you start getting involved in art?
Mika: “I was involved in art since I was little. I remember carrying around a sketchbook with me whenever my family and I would go out. In elementary school, I would also be playing around with sticky notes creating origami pieces.”
Wingspan: What made you choose art?
Mika: “I chose art because of its endless creativity and the fact that I am able to create something using my imagination or inspiration from experiences. By choosing art, I am able to express myself and my feelings in another form.”
Wingspan: Do you see yourself continuing this in the future?
Mika: “I definitely do see myself continuing art in the future whether that would be commissioning artworks or creating things for myself during my free time.”
Wingspan: What kinds of art are you most interested in?
Mika: “Currently, I am most interested in Impressionist art, animation, and pottery.”
Wingspan: What is your favorite thing about art?
Mika: “My favorite thing about art is that it has no limits and I can do anything with it. I like that I am in control of how my artwork looks, even though sometimes it doesn’t look as how I imagined. I also like how there are so many art forms and materials that can be used to express my ideas. Personally, I love using watercolor because of the different techniques and brushstroke looks I can create.”
Wingspan: What would you say is the most challenging thing about art?
Mika: “I think the most challenging thing about art is having to navigate my way to creating the piece I imagined. There were many times the pieces I made were not exactly how I wanted them to be. However, sometimes these pieces turned out to be better than what I thought they would look like. I also think it is challenging to completely finish a piece because there is always something more I can add or fix but I don’t want to mess up how it looks at the same time.”
Wingspan: What is your favorite art piece you have created?
Mika: “My favorite art piece I have created is from this year’s VASE competition. It is a watercolor piece showcasing the Kamakura Daibutsu (Great Buddha) statue.”
Wingspan: What’s your favorite memory of art?
Mika: “My favorite memory of art was when I visited historical statues in Japan such as the Kamakura Daibutsu statue and the Oofuna Kannon statue. These Buddhist statues were breathtaking when I visited. I have many sketches and pictures of these statues which ultimately inspired my favorite art piece.”
Why you should learn how to cook
Staff reporter Shreya Agrawal shares reasons why people should learn to cook. With the convenience of freezer meals nearby restaurants, it can be difficult to see the importance of homemade foods.
In the era of freezer meals and a variety of restaurants nearby, it can be hard to see why cooking is important. However, cooking is very valuable for a variety of reasons.
- It gives you an amazing sense of pride. Hearing, “Wow, the ____ you made is so good!”, is probably one of the best feelings I have experienced. Cooking isn’t easy, but being able to master new dishes helps you become confident, not only in cooking, but in various other areas of your life.
- It gives a chance to explore and connect with your family heritage. Coming from an Indian family, the act of cooking meals has always been heavily ingrained in my family’s traditions. Learning to cook from my mom has helped me absorb the styles of cooking she learnt from my grandmothers. For example, when making sweet chutney, my mom taught me how my maternal grandmother made it with tamarind, while my paternal grandmother made it with dry mango powder. Learning about these techniques and ingredients helps me feel closer to my grandparents and extended family in India.
- Cooking allows you a sense of control. Especially with my allergies to gluten and dairy, along with other preservatives, I never truly know what restaurants are putting in their food. On the other hand, when you cook at home, you know exactly what is going into your food.
- When I was younger, I never really realized how much time goes into cooking anything. But as I have started cooking, I have realized how many hours can go into a single dish. Even making a smoothie bowl can take up to 25 min to make and blend (not that it isn’t enjoyable to watch). Experiencing the act of cooking gives us a new appreciation for the food our parents and other family make for us, also giving us a new awareness and gratitude for all they do for us.
- Finally, creativity. When you become more experienced at cooking, you don’t need to follow recipes every time and you can start creating your own recipes. I have found creativity to shine through when adapting existing recipes to the limited ingredients you have available or to create foods without allergens. For example, instead of creating a pizza crust with wheat flour, looking at other grain-free recipes for pizza crusts helped me create my pizza dough recipe using cassava flour and coconut milk. While it may seem daunting, you too, can start creating your recipes within a few months of starting to cook.
Stay tuned for my next article, which will be all about the steps you can take to learn how to cook.