Allen High School is known for attention-grabbing athletics and superstar athletes, but fine arts such as painting, drawing and design are just as worthy of the same recognition. Senior Victoria Viola-Prioli participated in animation and AP drawing her junior year and has been involved in National Art Honor Society since her sophomore year. 

Q: What/who inspires your art?

A: My art is heavily influenced by nature and my imagination, as well as films.

Q: What purpose do you want your art to have? 

A: My purpose as an artist is to inspire others and show my outlook on the world around me.

Q: How did you initially know you wanted to do art? 

A: I’d been interested in art since I was very young and just naturally gravitated toward it throughout my childhood. I think I realized art was my calling around middle school when I decided I didn’t want to do any non-creative career in the future.

Q: What does art mean to you? Either your own art, art in general or both. 

A: Art for me is a way to express myself in a way that can’t be done with words. It’s also how I channel all my negative energy and in a way it’s therapeutic.

Q: How would you describe your art style?

A: My art style is mostly realistic and painterly, with usually warm tones.

Q: Which media/techniques do you enjoy using the most and why? 

A: I enjoy watercolor the most because it pushes me to work fast and with what I see in front of me. My watercolors can sometimes look a bit messy which is a look that I like. 

Q: What makes your art yours? 

A: I think what makes my art mine is my life experiences.

Q: What is your favorite piece you’ve done and why? 

A: My favorite piece I’ve done is one called “Photosynthesis” which I painted digitally. I like it because I feel like it has a lot of depth and contrast and brings a calming atmosphere. I also had a lot of fun making it because it’s one of the first digital pieces where I started to experiment more with texture.

Q: What would you like to see yourself do in the future with your skills? 

A: In the future, I see myself in the entertainment industry either doing video game art, film, or animation. Right now my heart is set on animation which was my childhood dream, but I’m open to wherever life takes me.

Q: Do you have any advice for striving artists?

A: Please stop comparing yourself to others. Everyone is on their own journey in art and everyone’s journey is different. Use other people’s art as motivation, not as discouragement because yours is not like theirs. 

Viola-Prioli’s latest project is an animated short film titled “Crutch” made by AHS animation students for UIL. Her team members in the making of this project include Ben Luke, Rachel Mills, Angelly Patino, Noah Hawes, Sidra Rosevear, Kelsey Brooks, Skye Dasari and Mya Jimenez. 

For more talented artwork, check out her Instagram: @artxvvp 

Gallery • 5 Photos

Amazonia, 2019 by Victoria Viola- Prioli.