The Blue Whole Gallery is pleased to announce Auden Darrock as the January 2025 Student of the Month. Auden, an artist with a passion for creativity, has been homeschooled since kindergarten, where her love for art was sparked. Her favorite part of school has always been the opportunity to create, a passion nurtured by a weekly homeschool group with an inspiring art teacher. It was in these sessions that she first discovered her love for ceramics, learning not only to shape clay but also to embrace the imperfections and lines that naturally emerge in the creative process.
Now enrolled in the Running Start program at Peninsula College, Auden has had the chance to broaden her artistic horizons. Under the guidance of another talented art instructor, she has explored a variety of drawing techniques and mediums, including ink, charcoal, and her personal favorite—dry pastels. This journey has allowed her to delve deeper into the interplay of light and shadow, particularly through a modeling technique she learned during a figure drawing class last spring. Her latest piece, crafted with dry pastels, showcases her skill in this method, capturing depth and form with a vivid touch.
Looking ahead, Auden is excited to take her first painting class this winter. As she transitions into her college freshman year, she plans to pursue studies in art, creative writing, and Spanish. This multidisciplinary approach reflects her curiosity and ambition to grow as both an artist and a storyteller.
With a foundation of encouragement and exploration, Auden Darrock is charting a path that celebrates creativity and expression, proving that a love for art, nurtured from a young age, can evolve into a lifelong journey. You can view her artwork in the gallery during the month of January.