Cory Weinreb: all hands on deck
Credit: Madison Chen
Cory developed his artistic talent by copying cartoons.
November 21, 2016
Senior Cory Weinreb has grown up drawing pictures of whatever comes to mind. He has been drawing for as long as he can remember. Cartoons, such as SpongeBob, were his first inspirations, because to him, copying cartoons was an easy task. He thought he was a talented artist because he found this so easy, when in actuality, the cartoons were easy to replicate in the first place. The cartoons, which he once perceived as simple, were just the beginning of his art career.
Cory took art more seriously his freshman year, when he was introduced to the technique of shading with graphite. “That was the first big step into actually taking art seriously because it was a challenge that I had to learn myself through trial and error. The challenge of creating something realistic through shading is probably what got me hooked into wanting to pursue it further,” Cory said. This medium has since become his favorite, but because it is time-consuming, he usually sticks to charcoal.
Freshman year was also when Cory first realized his passion for art, after art teacher Mark Green pointed out that the different shadows on a figure can be thought of like shapes. Cory opened his eyes and saw the different elements of a photo as shapes, rather than just lines and curves. This changed the way he saw photos because he could break down the various sections of the picture to draw more accurately.
His passion for art stems from the freedom to be creative and ability to create whatever he wants through a picture. “Thinking in reality definitely gets boring after a while, so I think doing something that allows me to imagine something new is a good way to not be so bored all the time,” Cory said. He is grateful for the release that art provides. He appreciates the fact that he has time set aside from his academic work, while still being productive. “It also helps me take the focus off of anything stressful during the day, and I can relax and just draw,” Cory said.
Cory considers his favorite piece a still life from last year, after investing a lot of time and effort into it. After completing it, he said he had a feeling of indescribable accomplishment.
Cory has been inspired by three people, none of whom are artists who draw. The first is his friend Tai, who encourages him to always be creative, and to be a different person with distinguishable ideas. Another is Hiroki Nakamura, the designer of Visvim. Cory considers Nakamura’s handmade shoes a form of art because he creates something from nothing through his own ideas. His last influence is Kanye West, whose songs often inspire Cory.
Lately, Cory has been interested in drawing hands in different poses. While he has not yet chosen a concentration, Cory wants to draw people in a way that allows him to be creative.
He would like to pursue art in college, either at a major or minor level.
