Artist Spotlight: Joshua Gao

​WGHS Artist, Joshua Gao, shows off his art skills from being in former teacher Ms. Jacksons’ art class to transitioning into Mrs. Boyett's art class.
by Amelia May and Brody Rankin

​In Mrs. Boyett’s AP Art class, Senior Joshua Gao had to come up with a “Sustained Investigation,” the main idea for all of the art pieces for that year of AP Art. He chose the topic of  “Therapy in Plants.” Being a 3D artist, he plans to execute all his pieces in the physical form. Josh mentions his love of 3D art is that he “likes feeling what [he] make[s].” Showing off some of his work he has done in the past, below is “The Log” and a simple printing of “Flower.”

​Joshua got his inspiration for art from comfortability, from the beauty of nature around him, and from his love for plants. He tries to keep his mind calm and relaxed while working and executing any art piece while he’s at school by simply listening to music and trying to stay “in the vibe.” He mentioned that he used to do art at home but doesn’t anymore because he couldn’t find the time to pursue it as a hobby of enjoyment- it became more of a task and a burden.

He’s not currently interested in pursuing art as a career once he graduates, instead he plans to focus on Aviation and on achieving a commercial pilot's license. Gao has been in the art field for around 5-6 years, starting in middle school, and has developed his style. While he no longer does 2D art, he knows his graphite work has well improved over the years but still prefers 3D work over anything else. He described the feeling of actually working with your hands and creating the pieces as a satisfaction nothing else can bring.

By centering his art on plants and flowers, he proves that inspiration doesn’t always need to be complicated. Sometimes it's just about finding beauty in the things that make you smile. As he prepares for his future beyond Walnut Grove, his dedication to capturing the beauty of plants and flowers leaves a lasting impression of the WGHS AP Art program.