A desire to design
Freshman discovers creative side of academic world
Graphic by Kaitlyn Gordon
May 1, 2019
The idea comes to her brain like a strike of lightning. The pencil touches the paper and her mind spills poetry onto the page. All of her attention is on the new piece she is creating. Her motivation holds her captive until she has finalized the wonder that fills her mind. The inspiration and talent that comes from the art of Elizabeth Dietze is out of the ordinary.
Freshman Beth Dietze’s artistic talents have caught the attention of many. Since she figured out that she could put pencil to paper, she has involved herself in drawing.
“I started enjoying art before I can even remember,” Dietze said. “I’ve always been that little kid who would pick up a crayon and draw on the walls. I started taking art seriously when I was in second grade and got accepted into an art class for sixth graders. It was a very big deal at my school.”
Art has been a big deal in the Dietze household. Their involvement in the art community pushed her to pursue art from the beginning.
“My grandmother was actually an art major in college. My dad also likes to draw cartoons,” Dietze said. “My sister has always been an impressive artist as well. It’s been a big deal throughout the family to be good at art because it was a thing everyone did on both my parents’ sides.” Dietze said.
Along with her family, Dietze has taken inspiration from many famous artists, including some in Texarkana.
“My sister has been a big inspiration for the [materials] I use. She’s an amazing artist, and I wanted to be just like her. I’m also inspired by [Catherine] Turner, who is a junior here. She’s an inspiration in her art style and drawings,” Dietze said. “For professional artists, I would say Picasso and Banksy have been big role models for me.”
Dietze is very abstract with her art and leans more toward serious topics when creating. She utilizes out-of-the-box characteristics to get her message across to the people who view her work.
“I usually make emotional pieces with deeper meanings such as depression, anxiety or different social issues,” Dietze said. “I’ve made pieces about sex and human trafficking and women in poverty. In general, I usually draw very abstract things like multiple arms or multiple heads.”
Her interest in art has inspired her to branch out to new forms such as costuming and designing. A fascination in fashion, along with TV shows and classes, has expanded that interest.
“I have always watched a lot of shows like ‘Project Runway’ and ‘Say Yes to the Dress’, and I’ve read a lot of Vogue and Neiman Marcus magazines,” Dietze said. “I just love clothes and dramatic pieces. I started drawing wedding dresses as a hobby in about seventh grade when I got this sketchbook. I got more into sketching dresses this year because of Mrs. Munn’s (the fashion design instructor) class. I pass by her class every single day, and it really got me interested.”
Like her art, Dietze wants her clothing designs to be dramatic and out of the ordinary, specifically wedding dresses. The abstractness of art pairs well with her avant garde designs.
“I’m really into designing wedding dresses,” Dietze said. “I want to say I have about 30 different dresses I’ve designed. I have fun designing dramatic, poofy dresses with a lot of detail. It’s the kind of things you would see at the Met Gala or a red carpet.”
Dietze’s talent for designing has brought many opportunities for her here in Texarkana and beyond.
“A consultant from FIDM University in Los Angeles came and talked to my graphic design class,” Dietze said. “She saw some of my art and looked at my portfolio, and she said she wanted to shadow me these next four years to maybe get good opportunities for college. I have gotten to design logos and things for some small businesses and different organizations. I’m actually getting to design a logo for an anti-trafficking organization. I’m also finalizing a few wedding dress designs and sending them into Kleinfeld.”
Her talent for art and design is not something she will only explore in high school. She plans to take this as far into her future as she can.
“My goal is to become a fashion designer,” Dietze said. “I would love to shadow under big companies like Louis Vuitton or Supreme. I want to work under the companies that make fashion a lifestyle rather than just the clothes you wear. I would also love to start my own company.”
Fashion, designing and art keeps her focused and motivated on her goals. She always goes a hundred miles a minute and won’t stop until she is finished and everything is perfect.
“It’s satisfying to see your piece come to life exactly how you envisioned [it],” Dietze said. “I feel in the zone and motivated. Once I start, I’m not going to stop until I’m finished. I never lose that motivation. When I finish, I get really excited when the piece looks how it did in my brain.”
