As a school, Monte Vista is often known for its academic prowess. However, many students at Monte Vista offer extreme talent in areas other than academia, like Valentine Sullivan.

    Valentine Sullivan is a junior here at Monte Vista, and excels at various forms of art, from paintings to comics. Yet, Valentine finds that the catalyst for their talent hit them in middle school.

“I blame anime and [cartoons like] Homestuck for getting me into drawing,” Sullivan said. “I used to draw these characters back in middle school… god awful characters I say, and then I just kept drawing.”

    From his humble beginnings, Valentine has blossomed into a versatile artist, drawing inspiration from other artists and subjects alike.

“The inspiration for my art can come from anywhere… whether that anywhere is jellyfish, death, political issues, heck, even Judge Judy could qualify,” Sullivan said. “All that matters the most is what is in the moment when I come up with an idea for a painting. I have many influences for my art; John Singer Sargent, Frida Kahlo… and so many more painters have influenced my painting.”

    Beyond the visual aesthetic Sullivan finds in their art, they also appreciate the way it allows them to express themselves; so much so that they hope to make it a career.

   “Yes I do want to make a career out of my art!” Sullivan said. “I want to become a storyboard animator for cartoons… and I eventually aspire to own my own animation studio for movies and shows!”

    And while Valentine hasn’t started an official career yet, he does still make his art available to those who appreciate it, through his Instagram page (@punkrockghostie) and through sales.
    “I have a whole bunch of commissions I do! I do sketchbook sketches of almost anything for $5-$10, digital paintings for $50, 18” by 24” painting for $100, and small traditional works for a range of prices.”