How I learned to grow in my love of art

Do you have any sort of hobby? I know I have lots of hobbies. My favorite is art.

Ever since I was little, I loved to draw, color and paint. As I got older, I started getting better at art. One day, I was sitting in my room coloring and then boom! An idea burst into my head. I ran down to my mom and said, “I want to do private art lessons.” My mom responded, “Great idea, I will talk to your father about it.”

A few weeks passed and I was really excited because I was going to the new private art lesson. Soon enough I was in the car going to the person’s home who was going to teach me more about art.

I ran up the stairs to the house and knocked on the door. A nice lady answered the door. She introduced herself as Jacqueline Maldonado, but I call her Miss Jacqui. She has her own art studio: Jacqueline Maldonado Art & Design. I followed Miss Jacqui into a room with lots of art supplies, a computer and a book.

We started to talk about ourselves, our families and art. She told me that she had a 6-year-old daughter, Olivia, and I told her that I had a younger brother, Nicholas, who was 4 and younger sister who was 2, Caterina.

That day we also came up with an idea for our first project. I wanted to do a summer landscape. So Miss Jacqui pulled some pictures up on her iPad and I finally decided on one. By that time, my mom came to pick me up and the first lesson was over.

I have been going to my private art lessons once a week for the past year and a half. I still love going there and making projects with Miss Jacqui. Currently I am working on a pencil drawing of a sea turtle.

I think everyone should try making art. It can help you be calm, express your feelings and overall just have fun. If you want find out more about Miss Jacqui, here is her website: jacquelinemaldonado.com

Melissa Levonick’s fifth-grade class, Wading River Elementary School