Whether she’s in Garland, behind the curtains ready to perform, or in Boswell, planning her next art piece, senior Mariel Vargas-vonBreymann always finds time to pursue her many different art interests.
Immersing herself in lots of writing as a kid, Vargas-vonBreymann has always loved telling stories. Specifically, she loved how illustrations in cartoons and comic books captured both the personality of each character and the dynamic nature of each plot. Naturally, she started taking inspiration from the illustrations she loved by drawing characters in her planner. Later, she moved on to creating short animated films on Procreate.
Not only does she enjoy writing novels and creating short animated films, she also writes screenplays. Taking inspiration from movies and television, Vargas-vonBreymann has been particularly enjoying combining her love for film and artwork when drawing characters from the series Severance.
In her freshman year, Vargas-vonBreymann screened her first film for the Poly Film Festival, titled Light. Her animated film depicted a 9-5 worker in New York City who sees everything in black in white but later discovers his own values and sees in color. Vargas-vonBreymann notes this as the most impactful experience for her as an artist. She stated, “To hear the audience analyze your piece inspires you to make the next piece,” which is evidently true since she has continued to involve herself in the festival every year. Out of all the directors she looks up to, she is most inspired by Jordan Peele, who directed the films Nope and Get Out. Senior Dylan Lam praises her work, noting the dedication Vargas-vonBreymann puts into each piece. Lam explained, “Mariel’s films, her animations specifically, always impress me.”
Other than her animated films, Vargas-vonBreymann usually draws people and landscapes, but recently she has been experimenting with abstract painting in her AP Art class, which she is currently taking for a second year. Visual Arts Department Chair and AP Art teacher Arnor Bieltvedt views Vargas-vonBreymann as extremely important to the AP Art course, as she has taken on a leadership role in the class this year as a mentor for juniors. Bieltvedt reported, “She creates scenes that are true to nature but with her own voice.” He also highlighted her individuality, saying, “She’s a little bit like a cinematographer… this storytelling aspect that she bridges from film to art and drawing makes her a very unique student.”
Not only is Vargas-vonBreymann a talented visual artist, she has been involved in the performing arts since she was a kid. At the age of six, she started playing the classical piano. At first, she thought of it as a chore, but she later fell in love with the art form and, to this day, sstill takes piano lessons once a week. Noting piano as the perfect way to relieve stress, Vargas-vonBreymann frequently looks up chords to play and sing along to her favorite songs by Rosalía, Doja Cat and Billie Eilish. In addition to being an incredible instrumental artist, she’s always loved being involved in musical theater and has become increasingly drawn to this art form during her Upper School years, participating in the Spring Musical every year.
Seeking to inspire and support student artists at Poly, Vargas-vonBreymann has been a core member of the Poly Arts Student Council (PASC) since her sophomore year. Perhaps you’ve read the comics in the Stall Street Journal, a publication by PASC that’s posted in bathroom stalls? Well, she introduced the comic strip. As a member of PASC, Vargas-vonBreymann seeks to connect people through art, stating, “Art as a whole brings people together and at Poly we should encourage that and strengthen that as a community.” It’s clear Vargas-vonBreymann is involved with this community aspect, as she often plays the piano and sings with friends at PASC events like 5th Quarter and Pascapolooza.
Being an artist at Poly means having to find a good balance between school and extracurriculars. Vargas-vonBreymann recognizes that good organization is critical to this balance, recalling that in her freshman and sophomore years, she did not manage her time well, but she started using her planner in junior year, and she noted, “Planning has allowed me to make time for art.” As she recognizes art’s benefits to her life, she makes sure to dedicate an hour every day to creating art.
With the rest of her senior year to go, Vargas-vonBreymann still has plenty of opportunities to showcase her art at Poly. Later this year, she will act in the Spring Musical, “Mamma Mia,” and have her art on display in Boswell for the AP Art presentation. We can’t wait to see what this incredible multi-talented artist has in store.
