Mercedes Hart, 11

What are you involved in at Vista Ridge?: I am currently in graphic design.

What made you interested in graphic design?: I love to draw. I’ve been drawing since I was in 4th grade. No one else in my family draws except me, I mean I have a few cousins who are artistic, but my mom and dad don’t get it.

What about drawing has made you love it so much?: Being able to connect with all of my friends. I’ve made a lot of friends through art, and it has opened up many opportunities for me to meet new people.

What has been your favorite thing you’ve done in graphic design so far?: We did a thing called minimalist design, which I really enjoyed because we were able to take key features of something, like the color and be able to show what it is simply by that feature.

If there was one thing you would tell someone who doesn’t draw or wants to draw, what would it be?: Definitely practice. That’s how I did it. Just draw, draw, draw and never stop. That’s the best way to learn.