“There’s a reason why someone feels happy, sad, or angry. People are triggered to have a bad day, scream in anger, or dance happily,” senior Jamie Wells said.  “What began as looking at the idea of triggers in others evolved into focusing on my own.”

It all started with a drawing. Ten-year-old Wells would sit up close to the TV, drawing the PowerPuff Girls, not knowing of the future artist she would become.

“I tried drawing other cartoons, then people, nature, and now from imagination,” Wells said.

Wells has won numerous awards for her artwork, from a first place award of $5,000 in Culture Shapers to a gold medal in painting and best of show in sculpture at Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Her pieces involve a variety of media from drawings to paintings to sculptures.

Despite all the recognition she is receiving,  she doesn’t forget the real reason why art is important to her.

“Art is freedom and individuality to me,” she said. “Art allows me to temporarily escape from everything.”

Wells’ favorite piece is called Consumed By the Media.

“I like it the most because this piece has taught me so much and it took a long time to come up with the concept,” she said. “This piece started out horrible. Then I tried painting with a palate knife, eventually, I ended up enjoying the results the palate knife gave me. I was inspired by the way the media is streaming information into our minds, in some ways it is consuming us just like it is consuming this girl.”

In many of Wells’ pieces, there is a reoccurring swirling motion.

“I like to create a swirling or swooping motion in my works because I relate that motion to emotions that are triggered by various things,” she said. “I often feel like I am being pulled in so many different directions, usually they are in one end that feels like a bottomless abyss or more than one point.”

At times Wells is left without knowing her next move.

“I think the biggest difficulty is getting through artists’ block,” Wells said. “Having no ideas or inspiration is not fun.”

However, she overcomes the difficulties with motivation to continue.

“Having the drive to become better at art is what’s most important,” Wells said. “Time, commitment, and passion for anything are what really make a difference.”

She plans to continue art through college.

“I definitely see art in my future,” Wells said. “I have a ton of stuff that I want to do; all I need is more time, which I will get when I graduate.”

For more of Well’s artwork, visit her on Youtube and deviantART.