“I’ve always had a creative side,” senior Ashley Hebb said. “It comes to my head and suddenly it’s on a painting or canvas.”

For Hebb, art has become a big part of her life as a way to escape the ordinary of every day, and get her thoughts out in a productive way. She began taking art classes when she was younger with her brother, but her time at Southeast, along with the artists and showcases here, have inspired her to channel her mind into art.

Hebb has long been a dynamic part of the Lincoln Southeast art community. Her work has been showcased through her Instagram account and at The Bay. She has even sold some of her work online.

The process to a finished piece includes a sketch, of which Hebb isn’t as confident in, and then transforming that into something grand. Her medium of choice is watercolor on canvas, unlike what most other artists choose to use.

“I like to go outside of what you would typically do,” Hebb said. “It’s a free-for-all.” 

Other artists may draw inspiration for a new piece from art they like or artists they want to imitate, but for Hebb it has never been an outside source that gave her inspiration, ideas just seem to flow from her brain. Her art has been a way to stray from the structure of other aspects of life and create “unexplainable” works.

As a senior, Hebb is looking toward the future, keeping art in mind of course. She hopes to pursue a degree in Computer Science while keeping her art as a “hobby that [she’ll] always have.” No matter the direction her future takes, Hebb is sure to take with her the most important lesson that art has taught her; always keep your mind open.