Student Spotlight: Vivianna L.
Finding Her Voice Through Art, Music, and Poetry
For the past nine months, Vivianna L. has been an active participant in the Stomping Grounds Literary Arts Initiative program. During that time, she has explored poetry, visual art, music, and digital creativity while developing a stronger sense of confidence, patience, and consistency in her creative practice.
When asked how she would describe herself, Vivianna kept it simple:
“I’m just a creative person.”
That statement captures much of what makes Vivianna’s creative journey so special. She came into the program already drawing, painting, and writing poetry, but Stomping Grounds gave her space, encouragement, and opportunities to take those interests more seriously and share them with others.
Finding a Creative Outlet
Before joining Stomping Grounds, Vivianna was already using art as a way to express what she was thinking and feeling. She remembers painting at home when she was bored and then looking at the finished work and realizing that the artwork often reflected what was going on inside her.
“When I was at the house, when I’d be bored, I realized just painting and afterwards I’d be looking at it and be like, this is what I be thinking about.”
Her creativity also extends into poetry and music. Vivianna explained that she often draws from her own experiences, writing about how she grew up and how she lives. For her, creative expression can also create a connection with other people who may have experienced similar things.
“I like letting people know that they could say how they feel and don’t be judged.”
Through Stomping Grounds, she began to understand that her different creative interests could exist together. Writing, painting, music, and digital work all became different ways for her to communicate.
A Major Artistic Challenge
One of Vivianna’s most significant projects has been a painted portrait of rapper NBA YoungBoy, which is currently being displayed at Beautiful Cat Gallery.
The piece is more than simply a portrait of an artist she admires. Vivianna intentionally chose a red background because of the struggles and difficult experiences she associates with YoungBoy’s life.
“He been through pain, he been through war, he been through a lot of stuff. So that’s why I did the background red and stuff.”
The painting also became an important lesson in patience.
The project took time, and there were moments when Vivianna became frustrated and wanted to stop. Instead, encouragement from the Stomping Grounds team and the people around her helped her continue working.
“When I messed up, I wanted to stop, but I just kept going because y’all encouraged me and I seen everything not going to be perfect.”
Her ability to continue through those moments became one of the most important accomplishments of the project. The finished piece demonstrated not only her developing technical skills, particularly her shading, but also her ability to work through frustration and finish something she was proud of.
Learning to Be Consistent
One of the biggest changes Vivianna identified in herself during her time with Stomping Grounds was consistency.
She already knew that she enjoyed painting, writing, and making music. What changed was having a structured environment that encouraged her to keep practicing.
“This program really helped me...it made me sit down and do the things I actually like and got me used to it because I like painting, doing music and stuff and it just helped me be consistent with it.”
For Vivianna, consistency also meant learning not to immediately give up when something wasn't perfect.
That lesson extended beyond one painting. She began developing a different relationship with the creative process, one where mistakes could become part of learning rather than a reason to stop.
Building Confidence
Sharing creative work with other people was another challenge Vivianna had to overcome.
At first, she was uncomfortable with the idea of putting her writing in front of other people. Over time, however, the support she received through the program helped her become more comfortable sharing her work publicly.
“At first I ain’t writing it down and then seeing it in front of everybody because I don’t like doing that in front of everybody, but it’s just like y’all helped me be confident and stuff.”
That growth is particularly meaningful because Vivianna’s work has moved beyond the classroom. Her poetry and artwork have been published and displayed publicly, giving her opportunities to see her creative work recognized by people outside of the program.
Seeing Her Art in the World
One of Vivianna’s memorable experiences was seeing one of her artworks printed on a T-shirt for the first time.
She has also had her work published in a book and displayed in a gallery.
For a young artist who was once unsure about how she could share her work with the public, these moments represented an important shift.
Reflecting on seeing her work published and displayed, Vivianna explained:
“It make me feel good because it’s like my poems, my music, my art and stuff like that. It’s just like I took time to do it and stuff and it’s like y’all helping me put it out there.”
These experiences helped demonstrate that the things she creates can have a life beyond the classroom.
Discovering Patience
When asked what she had learned about herself through the program, Vivianna identified patience as one of her biggest areas of growth.
“I got more patient. I look forward more to what I like to do instead of just pulling it to the side.”
That lesson has become part of how she approaches her creative work. Instead of expecting something to immediately come out perfectly, she has learned to give herself time to experiment, make mistakes, and try again.
Her advice to other young artists reflects that experience:
“It got to take time. It got to take patience...you can’t just try to rush and get it done with because you need to get used to it.”
For Vivianna, becoming an artist is not about getting everything right on the first attempt. It is about continuing to practice until the work begins to feel like your own.
Exploring New Creative Skills
Vivianna has also begun exploring areas outside of the creative practices she already knew.
Through the program, she gained experience working with computers and other forms of digital creativity. While she acknowledged that she did not spend much time on computers before, she approached the experience with curiosity and a willingness to try something new.
That willingness to experiment has become another important part of her development.
Rather than defining herself by one medium, Vivianna continues to explore what is possible across music, poetry, painting, and digital work.
Vivianna's Advice to New Students
When asked what she would tell someone who was just beginning the Stomping Grounds program, Vivianna emphasized the variety of opportunities available.
“Stomping Grounds is a place you could show and learn what you really like to do. And it go from doing music to writing, drawing, painting, all of that.”
Her message is simple: try something.
You may discover that you enjoy something you never expected. You may find a new way to express yourself. And you may discover that you are capable of creating more than you originally thought.
Looking Ahead
Vivianna has expressed a desire to remain connected to Stomping Grounds and continue sharing her creative work.
Her nine months in the program have been about much more than producing individual pieces. She has developed greater patience, learned to work through mistakes, become more comfortable sharing her creativity, and discovered new ways to express herself.
Most importantly, Vivianna is beginning to see herself not simply as someone who likes to draw, write, or make music, but as an artist.
As she put it:
“I’m just a creative person.”
And we're excited to see where that creativity takes her next.
Comments