Santa Barbara High School’s Artist of the Month is Brianna Yanez. Brianna is a senior here at SBHS. She has been in the Visual Arts and Design Academy (VADA) for all four years of high school. Yanez has loved drawing since she was in junior high and is grateful to be able to pursue it after all these years.

Brianna was born and raised here in Santa Barbara. She identifies as a selftaught artist who has been drawing her whole life. She feels like she can really reach her best potential with peers and teachers encouraging her. Brianna was always the kid that people saw and asked if she could draw a portrait of them. She has been entering contests since kindergarten and now she designs inspirational posters for SBHS. 

“This hobby followed me and it sprouted into something more beautiful that has now become a passion. Whenever given the opportunity, I try to consume any art media as I can. Whether that be projects sent out by the school or just helping a friend squeeze their artistry because I believe that everyone has it in them to do art if they simply put their mind to it.” 

What inspired Brianna to start drawing was an outlet where she can release her ideas. “Life, politics, religion, history, and deeper meaning towards emotions and unraveling all that through my pieces.” Yanez found inspiration by looking at morbid and pieces that were hard to interpret. Artists like Charles Keeping and Shin-Ichi Sakamoto helped her see art in a different light. They help her incorporate their style into hers. 

Brianna is unsure what the future holds for her but she truly believes that art will stay with her no matter what. A dream that Yanez has is to become famous for her art. “Being represented and shown through galleries around the world inspiring others somehow in ways I couldn’t even imagine!” 

[image credits: Brianna Yanez]