2008 Woodie Awards
Artist if the Week
Art without the structure
Kelly Truong
Issue date: 6/16/08 Section: Features
Melissa Cheponis is not a fan of structure. When she was younger, she used to hate field trips for that very reason.
"Everything was planned out for us," she said. "No, I want to look at the sea lions for longer, I don't want to go to lunch!"
Today, at age 17, Cheponis is not much different. She dropped out of St. Francis High School in March, choosing an alternative path to the private school she described as overly strict.
"We just had totally different philosophies about education," she said, referring to St. Francis's rigorous grade-based structure. "I would rather learn about what I want to learn."
Right now, what she wants to learn is art. In addition to required math and history courses at the School for Independent Learners in Los Altos, Cheponis is currently enrolled in a drawing class at De Anza, a course she says she is taking in order to learn the rules before breaking them.
"Drawing is not my favorite form of art," she said. "I don't like the little rules about drawing … I kind of like the big picture, and sometimes the detail is harder for me."
Her real passion is modern art, a passion cultivated years ago when her mother, a volunteer at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, used to take her along on her guided tours.
"I like modern art because it's just whatever comes out of your head at the moment," Cheponis said. "It's like a dream … it's from people's minds. I feel that's what modern art is: not planning, just feeling."
One of her favorite artists is René Magritte, a surrealist painter she discovered through tours with her mother.
"I think an artist is someone who questions what people in this world have defined for us," she said.
Cheponis described herself as having always been creative, shunning sports for art and ballet as a child. Still, she says, even sports can be art.
"I think that everything is art," she said. "I love life so I love art."
Love of life is a message she hopes to get across through her work. "It's a cliche, but life's too short," she said. "We're here, that's incredible."
She remembers feeling the same way when she first read a book on existentialism: "Well, that's okay, but I like being happy!"
Although Cheponis is still undecided about her future, she has an idea of what she doesn't want to study: business, history and physics. "I'd rather study art," she said.
Although she is considering art school, she's unsure about going to a school without any other options. She isn't, after all, a planner.
"I change my mind," she said. "What I tell you today will probably change tomorrow."
Kelly Truong is a staff reporter for La Voz. Contact her at kellytruong@lavozdeanza.com.
"Everything was planned out for us," she said. "No, I want to look at the sea lions for longer, I don't want to go to lunch!"
Today, at age 17, Cheponis is not much different. She dropped out of St. Francis High School in March, choosing an alternative path to the private school she described as overly strict.
"We just had totally different philosophies about education," she said, referring to St. Francis's rigorous grade-based structure. "I would rather learn about what I want to learn."
Right now, what she wants to learn is art. In addition to required math and history courses at the School for Independent Learners in Los Altos, Cheponis is currently enrolled in a drawing class at De Anza, a course she says she is taking in order to learn the rules before breaking them.
"Drawing is not my favorite form of art," she said. "I don't like the little rules about drawing … I kind of like the big picture, and sometimes the detail is harder for me."
Her real passion is modern art, a passion cultivated years ago when her mother, a volunteer at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, used to take her along on her guided tours.
"I like modern art because it's just whatever comes out of your head at the moment," Cheponis said. "It's like a dream … it's from people's minds. I feel that's what modern art is: not planning, just feeling."
One of her favorite artists is René Magritte, a surrealist painter she discovered through tours with her mother.
"I think an artist is someone who questions what people in this world have defined for us," she said.
Cheponis described herself as having always been creative, shunning sports for art and ballet as a child. Still, she says, even sports can be art.
"I think that everything is art," she said. "I love life so I love art."
Love of life is a message she hopes to get across through her work. "It's a cliche, but life's too short," she said. "We're here, that's incredible."
She remembers feeling the same way when she first read a book on existentialism: "Well, that's okay, but I like being happy!"
Although Cheponis is still undecided about her future, she has an idea of what she doesn't want to study: business, history and physics. "I'd rather study art," she said.
Although she is considering art school, she's unsure about going to a school without any other options. She isn't, after all, a planner.
"I change my mind," she said. "What I tell you today will probably change tomorrow."
Kelly Truong is a staff reporter for La Voz. Contact her at kellytruong@lavozdeanza.com.
Be the first to comment on this story