Honey San Pedro Tells Stories Through Art and Design
By: Connor O’Boyle
A&E Editor
Green River student Honey San Pedro brings the loving aura of collectivist culture to the states with her vibrant perspective of the people she encounters.
Being a student from the Philippines, Pedro had to adjust quickly to the individualist culture of the American school system since her arrival in 2018. Over time, Pedro felt more accepted by the community at Green River, and received immense support from her parents to support her during this difficult social road block.
Pedro’s art is entirely interpretive, but each piece she creates has a specific meaning to her. She finds that different perspectives of the same image results in entirely different pieces of artwork.
She describes her works as the expression of her mental state at the time they were created. She says that her self-portraits, for example, represent the different versions of her super ego. This is why none of the final results look exactly like her.
“Regarding its representation, I let my hand, the pencil, and my eyes focus on the moment as I draw each of the self-portraits, and then later look at the whole piece,” Pedro said.
This process allows Pedro to explore the sides of herself that she never knew existed, and she ends up surprised at what the final products become. This meditative and experimental aspect of her work is part of what makes her continue this hobby, despite its many challenges.
“As I [worked on] my self-portraits, I faced the mirror, for four days in the mirror about the say time of the day, and [drew] myself. Those are just how I saw myself during those times,” Pedro said.
Pedro believes that she inherited her skill in art from her biological father, who is an artist himself. She said that he once drew an elaborate portrait of her mother, which she never got to see since her parents were separated when she was a child.
She became serious with art when she attempted to recreate this portrait of her mother herself back in 2014. Since then, she has developed her own technical skill and fascinating techniques that make her work stand out among others.
She also shared that she would not have developed her abilities as an artist if it was not for her loving mother and step father, who encouraged her to keep drawing ever since she started becoming serious with it.
“[they] encourage me and believed in me and the value of my art. Them, letting me be creative, is one big positive influence they have on me,” she said.
When it comes to her other portraits and design works, she finds the inspiration for them in the actions of both the people she knows and the artists who influence her. Her first portrait work, “Devan” is based the work Devan key, an up and coming painter from California. His colorful and close-up portraiture inspired her to paint a watercolor portrait of him herself.
“Even if I can’t understand what I feel at the moment, that inspires me to make art that would relate to anyone who will appreciate it. Art will describe the indescribable,” Pedro said.
While she views art as a meditative and rewarding hobby, she wishes to get her degree in architecture and design buildings with a focus in environmental conservation. She argues that while this field is very different from art as an entertainment medium, it still follows the same principals and suits her talents well.
“My goal is to be consistent in using sustainable materials in architecture. It is a timely manner, that more than just the beauty of architecture, the contribution to the world is wide, but the impact to the environment is less,” Pedro said.
While Pedro has a good idea of her future career, she still cannot help but feel a little homesick. The individualist ideologies that dictates American culture was a complication that took a lot of time and energy for her to feel accepted within.
“I am a family-oriented person, and that’s something I don’t usually encounter here. It’s almost like a 180 degree turn,” she said.
Her family had decided to move here after her mother married her step-dad, who lives somewhere in Washington.
While this initially was a difficult time, she felt less isolated after becoming a part of the art subculture at Green River, where she continues to thrive as a college student of both art and architecture.
“I, for sure, will not forget Sarah Dillon Gilmartin and Steven Black. They are very inspiring, enthusiastic, and constructive as instructors,” she said.
Despite the fact that Pedro has been through significant changes throughout her life, she finds that art is a way for her to express her anxieties rather than keeping them bottled up inside.
Pedro said that one of her most proud works represents this part of herself. She titled it “Fragile” and explained that it helped her work through a difficult time in her life.
She advocates for others to find their passions in order to reinforce their mental health, which can lead them toward a fulfilling career path for their future lives upon entering the work force.
Photo Cred: Honey San Pedro
