I was most impressed by the Esperanza Art Gallery  mostly because of all the wide variety of artwork and creativity on display! There were drawings, paintings, and ceramic creations from students from all art levels, and every creation I could tell held significance which demonstrated thought and intention. The artwork explored themes ranging from pride living in the United States, to self portraits and personal struggles, and imaginative creations. A main takeaway from visiting the gallery was that I understood how artwork really is a sign of expression and communication. Every painting gave me an idea of the artist’s identity behind the work. Additionally all the pieces were very advanced and from the mere look, many of the pieces appeared like it could have taken months or longer to complete! Something I found to be very interesting was how each artist utilized color, shape, and materials differently, all to convey the meaning of their piece in a different way. Some were more devastating and emotional, while others were more joyful and full of life. It was unique to see how a choice an artist makes affects the way a painting is conveyed to an audience. Finally, the gallery highlighted the hard work and dedication from the Esperanza High School art program, along with the guidance and support that Mrs Magnin provides to her students. It was evident that students were encouraged to use different mediums in their artwork, and think of many ways their identity could be expressed through their artwork. More than anything else, the word that stood out to me was authenticity. Every piece was very authentic and each piece was something different that I had never seen before! Overall, the variety of different themes displayed, demonstrated how each student is different and how a different message can be extracted from each creation.