Ella Morris, MCHS Artist of the Month
Ella Morris with her chalk drawing (Jonathan Jones/The Puma Prensa)
Written By: Chase Soylu Chee
What happens when imagination takes form? Dive into senior Ella Morris’s vibrant world where dragons soar, fairies dance, and battles rage. Nominated for “Artist of the Week” and now the first-ever “Artist of the Month” for Maria Carrillo High School, Morris has captured the attention of artists across the campus with her significant milestone in the arts.
The MCHS Art Department has introduced a new award this year: Artist of the Month. This recognition spans all areas of art, including theater and painting. To be nominated, individuals must consistently push boundaries with their artwork, performances, or other endeavors. In order to be recognized as an influential visual artist on campus, Art teacher Thomas Laughlin explains that you must “make sure to take Art 1 and 2, and [be] in Art 2 or 3 as a senior.” Luckily, if you are not a senior but take great initiative in visual arts, Laughlin said he “would like to nominate an Art 1 student or underclassmen,” so if you are not yet in Art 2 or 3 keep up the hard work.
As an artist, it’s essential to show enthusiasm, creativity, and passion for your work; this devotion allowed Morris to be nominated. As she always had a passion for art, Morris gradually developed her skills through drawing portraits and other practices in Laughlin’s Art 1 class. Morris explains her motivations for this creative process: "Drawing is something I like doing, and the more I do it, the more I start practicing and learning how to draw things; it’s kind of like a passion of mine.” Despite her love for drawing, Morris couldn't think of her all-time favorite piece she’s ever made and explained, "There’s always a new piece that I feel like is going to be my best…yet.”
Exploring the boundaries of art, Morris likes working with all types of art mediums. Still, she explicitly enjoys acrylic paint because, as she says, “you can layer it over what it covers, and it’s easier to make an image that way." This makes her more of a hands-on artist. She also partakes in “tactile arts” when not doing acrylic painting because she “likes clay and sculpting things.”
Creativity flows with every piece Morris makes; she enjoys fantasy and says, "A lot of art out there…is realistic, but I like imagination; I like [art] without any sense.” This eccentric theme allows Morris to be more creative without expecting realism. She takes drawing to another level, saying, “I like to make it enjoyable, ...fun, and not too heavy,” which allows her art to be relatable to all sorts of viewers.
Nominated for Artist of the Week, Morris was excited to be interviewed by Carrillo Live to share her accomplishments. After this nomination, Laughlin decided Morris was the perfect fit for a new title: Carrillo’s Artist of the Month. Though Morris was initially confused by this recognition, as it had never been given out before, she was honored. “Art has always been a passion of mine, and I don’t want to stop,” Morris explains. “I always want to have art in my life, so it’s cool to be recognized by something I care about and enjoy.”
When asked what Morris would do in the future, Morris quoted Steve Jobs, saying, "The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” Morris wants to keep art in her life and her future, and she specifically wants to become an author or illustrator because “[she] loves writing stories and [creates] stories in [her] images in art instead of putting [them] in words.”
Art transcends boundaries, inviting Morris to see the world through new perspectives and transmitting images that words alone cannot express. Morris is just one of Carrillo’s inspiring artists who work hard to represent our impressive, diverse, and dedicated arts field.