With the Houston Rodeo having just finished, it’s time for the annual Rodeo Art Contest to wrap up too. Students from all over Texas submitted artwork in hopes of placing high. This year, junior Sophia Esquivel did just that. Esquivel’s painting of three cows grazing in a lush green meadow with a sunset peeking through the forest in the background and tiny yellow flowers growing in the pasture won Best of Show for the Klein district at the high school level and had her work displayed at the Rodeo Feb. 28 through March 19.
With art being an important part of Esquivel’s life, being awarded this title is a huge achievement.
“I started drawing at a very young age.” Esquivel said “art is something that I enjoy putting my time and attention into.”
Of the pieces chosen for Best of Show, only a few are selected to be auctioned off. This year, Esquivel was not one of the selected, however even if she was, it isn’t about the money for Esquivel, it’s about the relaxing feeling that art and painting can give her.
“I don’t really care about the money, I just enjoy creating interesting pieces of art,” Esquivel said. “Art is a way that I destress, it allows me to only focus on what I’m painting and not my own thoughts.”
Esquivel’s art not only has won best in show but it has also inspired her family and the people around her with her art and her dedication.
“She is incredibly committed to her work and very passionate when it comes to competitions,” sophomore Joaquin Esquivel, Esquivel’s brother, said. “Sophia serves as a pushing force for me to try and strive for achieving my goals, just seeing how much work and dedication she puts into her artwork is inspiring.”
Esquivel uses her talent in art to bring joy and to do something kind for others.
“She has also painted me things that I never thought to ask for,” Joaquin said. “One day after school I got home and Sophia came to me with my skateboard to show me that she customized and painted the backsplash of the board.”
Even with so many different mediums and canvas of art ranging from unconventional to more common, deciding how to take an idea on canvas can be challenging and even frustrating at times.
“I love acrylic painting,” Esquivel said. “Painting and art in general is pretty frustrating, however my favorite thing about acrylic is that you can continuously layer until you get it right.”
Even though putting an idea onto paper can take a while, when inspiration comes, putting it on paper can show a unique perspective and personality. For Esquivel the inspiration came from a picture her sister took in the car.
“My sister took a picture of cows out of the car window and I loved the composition. If I find a reference that I love, it would only make sense to paint it,” Esquivel said. “I think that my paintings reflect my style, even if there aren’t specific things I do. It’s like handwriting, everyone’s will be different.”