Artist Spotlight: Jalen Gornek

Juried exhibitions 2018 grand prize winner

Sophie Owens, Profile Editor

  1. What type of art class or classes are you involved in?

I am mostly involved in editing and photography, I switch from digital to film. I currently have two cameras, a 35mm film camera, and a Nikon D3000.  

  1. What instigated this desire?

I used to live in Pennsylvania. We lived near a small mountain and a forest while I was still in middle school. Photography developed from that wooded solitude and I just started to immerse my time into capturing pictures.  I have one specific memory of just walking out of my house and taking pictures of everything I saw. I walked along this muddy path and remember finding this cool insect on a tree. I took that photo and have been in love ever since.

  1. How often are you working on your art?

It mainly depends on how much I work and the week. Although I think if there is any small plateau that I have reached it’s been because of my time in NA. If you have been in one place too long it can become difficult to take new pictures.

  1. What is your best piece?

Every four years they do a juried exhibition of art and in that competition, I believe then that I submitted my best work. Last year the theme was violins, I took flowers and placed them all along a violin. That’s how I started to get recognition, through contests. I just actually entered a scholastic writing and art competition. I submitted some photos of Chicago on 35mm film.

  1. Why is this your best photo?

The violin photo captures what I am good at, which is editing. I believe that taking a photo is equally important as editing it. There has never been a photo that did not need a little editing.

  1. What do you hope to improve?

I hope to improve on my geographic reach, where I take photos specifically. I want the places I reach to grow and my work to as well. 

  1. Where do you see yourself in the next five years and what do you hope for careerwise?

After high school, I hope to go to KY school of art and design. Anything past that I am unsure, wherever I go I just want to reach new people and develop new experiences. I have given some thought to going out west.