The Oracle: How and why did you get into drawing? Lauren Priest: Drawing has always been a skill that I’ve had, but I never decided to pursue it any more than something that I did in my free time. I never tried to improve until a couple years ago when I started self-studying and teaching myself how to draw. I liked being able to create something that others could appreciate. It was a skill that I had before; it seemed like a waste to not do anything with it. Also, drawing made me happy and relieved stress for me.

TO: When did you start posting your work on Instagram?
LP: It actually took a lot of courage to post because I’m never comfortable sharing art with anyone. I didn’t think that anything I made was worth sharing. I didn’t see value in anything I made, so I didn’t see why others would. Basically, it changed when a couple of friends saw my art. They thought it was awesome and that I should create an Instagram ac- count for my art. It wasn’t peer pressure but rather encouragement, and I think I would have never started it if it weren’t for my friends.

TO: What inspires you to draw?
LP: I live on Pinterest and sometimes think of it as my religion. From Pinterest and sometimes Instagram, I get inspiration from a lot of photographs, sculptures and artists. A lot of my inspiration comes from any other art form that seems interesting, especially photography.

TO: Do you have any future plans for your art or your art account?
LP: I’m not going to go to an art college, but I [am thinking] of pursuing an illustration minor for maybe storyboarding because it looks really cool.

TO: What types of content are on your account?

LP:I did a lot of nail art, though I don’t do it as much now because I had to cut them off for work. I did do painting for a bit. It didn’t turn out super well, but I tried. Now, I draw a lot more people than I did before—it’s the newest thing. I don’t draw on the account very often, but I definitely try to post when I can.

TO: How would you describe your artistic process? LP: I find parts of inspiring artwork that drew me into it and get as much out of it as I can. I put what appeals to me into my own art pieces. In terms of sketching, I do a lot of studying and make sure I can draw it the way I want it to be. Sometimes what I draw is different than what is in my head. I’m just trying to capture what is my head the best I can.

TO: What is your favorite thing about being an artist?
LP: Thinking about things in [the] 3D sense [is] appealing to me, although I am not sure why. This is one reason why I took Ceramics this year instead of Drawing and Painting all four years. I thought that Ceramics would help me draw more in a 3D sense instead of the 2D sense. It is like trying to capture the depth of things in real life.

TO: What advice would you give to budding artists?
LP: Know what to look for in studies because they are the most important thing—it’s basically the baseline. Knowing where to get that reference: for me it is Pinterest and photos. Drawing from life is very important. Do not trace.

—Compiled by Andrew Zhao