Artist of the Month: Create a Calamity with Max Juedes
Teja Lebaka
Charger Press is back with December’s Artist of the Month featuring Max Juedes, a junior at HHS. Juedes has been a part of the district since his childhood and, “plays drums in a band and also film skateboarding.” Juedes was nominated for Artist of the Month by Ms. Strelow who had a lot to say about Juedes. “Max is an artist. He is not the typical student who learns and studies techniques and applies them to fulfill requirements. Creativity is spilling out of him at all times. He is an example of a natural artist. Someone who loves to begin work, struggles to ever call a piece finished, and reworks innovatively throughout,” says Ms. Strelow. Juedes has the ability to see anything as a blank canvas. We’re told that this makes him stand out amongst his peers. Strelow tells us that Juedes is a mark maker; finding beauty in chaos.
“He keeps a notebook with him and sketches as ideas come to him no matter his surroundings. He has some of the best talent as a true artist that I have encountered, and it has been really fun to watch him grow over the past couple of years,” mentions Ms. Strelow. It’s clear that Juedes is an inspiration and his pieces make him stand out from the crowd!
Juedes is currently a part of Ms. Strelow’s AP Art and Design class. Last year she had him in both Ceramics and later Advanced Ceramics. “As a 2-D artist, I think it was a struggle for him in 3-D at first until I pushed him to just execute requirements the way he approaches anything; with his stylized technique,” says Ms. Strelow.
“I look forward to what Max has in store ahead of him. At just 17, he impresses me daily, and I see only amazing things to come for him as he continues his creative journey. I hope he never loses his original and inspiring spirit!”
At a young age, Juedes discovered his love for art outside of school. He started with graffiti and then fell in love with every form of art in the fifth grade. “When I figured out you could take art as a class I immediately sprung on it,” mentions Juedes. Jean-Michel Basquiat is an artist that Juedes looks up to because “his style was so freeing.” He says that one of the biggest things he admires about Jean-Michel is that he points out the current issues in our society in his works.
It's no secret that inspiration to do art doesn't just appear out of thin air. Be it painting, drawing, or taking pictures many artists say they need to get in “the zone.” When asked what helps him get in “the zone” when he works, Juedes told us, “The process of creating is nothing short of a calamity. It causes me to reflect on issues within my own psyche and in society as a whole, it engenders many emotions. I usually sit down with no ideas in my head and they develop as I am creating the piece. I often use music as a tool to transport me into a certain state of being.”
In three words Juedes is unconventional, imaginative, and a visionary. Strelow tells us that Juedes is a curious learner. Ms. Strelow highlights how Juedes experiments with materials and mediums and learns through doing. She tells us that Juedes uses "old cardboard, a rusty shelf," and "old dried peel paint" within his art, truly using creativity to his advantage.
Juedes tells us that being an artist comes with a certain state of mind and that it makes him feel so separate from the world. Meeting some of the most open-minded and genuine people is Juedes’ favorite part of art and music; the environment has a huge impact on the ideas that he uses to create new work. When asked how he stayed creative and inspired Juedes told us, “I have kept them alive and not let them be suppressed by the school system and many things that cause us to grow up to be unimaginative.”
Art work done by Hamilton students can be seen all over our school, and if you look close enough you can see some of Max’s pieces as well. If you ever see Max around be sure to say congratulations on becoming Artist of the Month to him!
