Photo courtesy of senior Quique Ajanel.

  San Luis Obispo high school is filled to the brim with talented artists of every medium and discipline. As part of an on-going series, Expressions puts the spotlight on Senior Quique Ajanel, one of the many artists SLOHS has to offer, as he discusses his art and inspirations.

  Expressions: How long have you been interested in art? What got you into it?

  Senior Quique Ajanel: I’ve been interested in art for as long as I can remember. I grew up reading comics in the newspaper and watching lots of cartoons (shoutout Scooby-Doo), so most of my early art was little comics I made. From there, I progressed to more mature stuff like superhero comics and graphic novels (shoutout Batman). Eventually, I started to combine these two aspects (shoutout the 1972 film Scooby-Doo Meets Batman).

  Expressions: What mediums do you like the most? Why?

  Ajanel: I like using Sharpies. They’re simple, easy to use, and provide vibrant colors. They’re not exactly cheap, but they’re certainly not as outrageously expensive as a lot of other art materials can be. I also do lots of stuff with good ol’ black ink pens. I especially like using pens because they allow for lots of fun detail. They’re also super easy to find and use for anyone who wants to get into art.

  Expressions: Do you plan to pursue art in the future? If so, how?

  Ajanel: Yes, sort of. I want to pursue a career in filmmaking, but I don’t want to stop making art. I’m super into both drawing and filmmaking, and I think both of those aspects of my life have a really healthy relationship and are always influencing one another. In addition to making movies, it’s also always been my dream to write and illustrate my own graphic novel. 

  Expressions: Why do you like art? What draws you to it?

  Ajanel: It sounds cliche, but I like using art to express myself. All of the little earworms and icky-sticky thoughts that slide around the inside of my head tend to come out in my art, and a lot of what draws me to it is the exploration of my own emotional perceptions of the world. Fundamentally, art is the study of what looks good, and why. I’m fascinated by how abstract, subjective, and ever-changing the concept of “looking good” is. 

  Expressions: What’s one of your favorite pieces you’ve done and why? Can you tell us about this piece?

  Ajanel: This [cover photo] is a portrait of beloved SLOHS Art Teacher Mr. Norton holding his dog Piper. I had a lot of fun balancing the different aspects of this piece—on the one hand, I’m focusing on likeness, trying to recreate what Mr. Norton actually looks like; on the other hand, I’m trying to take some artistic liberty with the colors and design work, specifically in the shirt area and with Piper.