Why I Started Drawing and Painting... again

My name is Simone Agoussoye and I am a visual and graphic artist. I've always been creative and artistic throughout my childhood. In the 3rd grade in Art Class, my teachers name was Mrs. Henderson and I remember creating a painting a self portrait inspired by Andy Warhol. At the time I didn't know who he was or that is what the inspiration was for the project. Looking back I just recall that it reminds me of the Andy Warhol 1962 Marylin Diptych painting. I won 2nd place in the county fair and from that moment I knew I wanted to be an artist. However once I graduate college my drawing and painting switched gears dramatically.

I went to the Art Institute of Washington where I studied graphic design. So upon graduating I was designing and creating logos, websites, flyers, business cards working as a graphic artist. A little ways off of drawing and painting where it took my 7 years to get back to my sketchbook.

I started drawing again January 2017. This was a year after I had got married, moved, and exposed to another way of life. There are too many changes happening at once and one way I was able to cope with that was going back to the basics which included drawing. For me drawing was a very therapeutic thing for me. The first thing I decided to draw was a portrait of my favorite singer of all time Aaliyah.

The first drawing wasn't the greatest, was pretty terrible actually that I redrew it the same night (picture posted here). Check out the second take here. Ever since that night I picked my pencil back up I haven't put it down since and I am now here to really push myself to the best artist that I can be.