After we announce the winners of our Science Without Borders® Challenge, I get a lot of questions about the students. Where are they from? How long have they been interested in art? Are they planning on studying art at university? The incredible artwork speaks for itself, both as a testament to their talent and as a means for inspiring others around the world. But in order to better acquaint you with the personalities behind the artwork, we have come up with a Question & Answer blog to let the middle and high school winners provide you with some insight into their lives, their art, and what inspires them.
Xiyan Wang, 1st Place Winner
Q: How many times have you entered our Science Without Borders® Challenge?
A: This is my first time joining this competition.
Q: Why did you enter the Science Without Borders® Challenge?
A: My teacher recommended I enter this competition. I really like this competition because I love painting so much and I care about pollution problems. I hope more people will care about the environment through this competition.
Q: What inspired you to create your art piece for the Science Without Borders® Challenge?
A: I travelled with my parents to places, such as Bahamas, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, and a national park in Malaysia. I saw many coral reefs pale and die. I am very worried about that situation. Coral reefs can protect coastlines, and human survival could be at risk if they disappear. In addition, I once had an octopus doll which I loved very much, so he became the protagonist in my artwork.
Q: Besides art, do you have any other hobbies and/or are you involved in other school activities, such as sports?
By Xiyan Wang, Age 13 China
A: In addition to painting, I also participated in the school’s sprint race. I’m learning tennis and table tennis on the weekends. Additionally, I spend time in my community doing volunteer work reading stories to children. I really like the pictures shown in the books and I hope these kids will like reading more because of the illustrations. I also teach children to draw and make handcrafts.
Q: How did you start making art?
A: My aunt is a professional artist engaged in sculpture work. I like her artwork very much, so I learned to paint.
Q: Do you plan to pursue a career in art or science? If so, how?
A: In order to learn to draw better, I am going to apply for high school in the United States soon. I will choose a school which provides more drawing courses and resources. Then, I plan to apply for American universities offering a professional design major. I really hope that I can engaged in relevant work like this in the future.
Daven Sohng, 2nd Place Winner
Q: How many times have you entered our Science Without Borders® Challenge?
A: This was my first time entering in the Science Without Borders® Challenge, and I was pleasantly surprised to get 2nd place. I’ll definitely enter again in the future.
Q: Why did you enter the Science Without Borders® Challenge and what inspired you to create your art piece?
A: I entered into this contest because a family friend, told me about this contest and hyped me up to enter. The ocean is always a place that fascinates and inspires me. Even though I live in Las Vegas, I have family that lives on the west coast. Visiting them always was a wonderful experience, because I was able to see the ocean, which I very rarely see. These cherished memories of going to the ocean always manage to inspire me.
By Daven Sohng, Age 14
United States
Q: Besides art, do you have any other hobbies and/or are you involved in other school activities, such as sports?
A: Another hobby that I participate in is music. I enjoy playing the bass and acoustic guitar.
Q: How did you start making art?
A: I started making art when I was around one year old. I would smash crayons and markers into anything that could be drawn on. I just kept drawing as I grew up. It is the most engaging thing to do.
Q: Do you plan to pursue a career in art or science? If so, how?
A: I plan to become an illustrator or storyboard creator in the future.
Amy Xiang, 3rd Place Winner
Q: How many times have you entered our Science Without Borders® Challenge?
A: This is my first time entering the contest.
Q: Why did you enter the Science Without Borders® Challenge and what inspired you to create your art piece?
A: Mr. Liu first introduced the Science Without Borders® Challenge to me. I was pretty concerned about it, because I didn’t know anything about coral reefs. So that week, I asked my tutor about it, and I found out that corals are really important to both animals and humans. And so, I decided to enter the contest and I have expressed my feelings about coral reefs through my art piece.
Q: Besides art, do you have any other hobbies and/or are you involved in other school activities, such as sports?
By Amy Xiang, Age 13
Canada
A: I normally play tennis and participate in public speaking events every week.
Q: How did you start making art?
A: I was first interested in art when I was 4 years old, which led me to VSA Studio where I met Mr. Liu. During that time, I entered a Mother’s Day coloring contest and received second place. This gave me a much-needed confidence boost and I’ve been passionate about drawing ever since.
Q: Do you plan to pursue a career in art or science? If so, how?
A: I am really interested in fashion and interior design. It is my dream to attend Parsons School of Design in New York.
If you missed our last blog Meet our 2018 Science Without Borders® Challenge High School Winners, check it out here.
