Jennifer Hunt, 2016 Cover Contest Finalist

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Jennifer Hunt is a 24-year-old graduate student at Augusta University in Augusta, Ga.

While she is currently working on a master’s degree in Medical Illustration, her longstanding relationship with art began back in elementary school. She was often recruited by her teachers to create artwork for the classroom.

“One event that sticks out is when my second grade teacher asked me to draw a chicken and it ended up being published in a school-wide newsletter – very exciting for a second grader,” Hunt recalled.

She never envisioned herself pursuing art as more than a hobby. In fact, Hunt began college as a biology major. But she didn’t feel fulfilled. She was just going through the motions to earn a degree until she discovered a program at her school that combined both art and science.

“It took me a while to make the leap and finally switch majors,” Hunt said. “But as soon as I began taking art classes, I knew I was in the right field. … I always think how lucky I was that I found this incredibly niche field that gives me motivation and satisfaction in everything I do.”

Hunt’s favorite mediums to work with are charcoal and graphite. It’s the gratification that comes after completing a piece of art after days or weeks of work that keeps her ever eager to create new art.

“Sometimes there can be a lot of different emotions that go into creating art, including doubt,” she said. “So, it’s an incredible feeling to complete a piece and have it completely surpass your expectations.”

When asked what piece of advice she would give to students who are interested in art, but haven’t given it a shot, Hunt offered a quote from one of her favorite authors, Kurt Vonnegut, who said, “Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”

If Jennifer Hunt’s drawing titled “Sabrina” were on exhibit in a museum and she was the museum tour guide, this is how she would describe it: I chose one of my friends as a model for this piece because I like drawing people with unusual or unconventional looks. She turned out to be an enthusiastic model and a lot of fun to draw. Some of my favorite pieces of art are portraits and figure drawings, so I knew I wanted to try my hand at creating something in the style of some of my favorite artists. I had also never done anything on, or even near, the scale of 30×40 inches before. The sheer size of it also makes it eye catching on a wall.

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Alexia Lang holds a journalism degree from the University of Missouri. Lang has worked in newspapers, magazines, radio and blogs, producing award-winning content centered around community and the arts.

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