The Thunder Bolt

For San Luu, the moment art shifted from a hobby to a calling began during a parent-teacher conference her sophomore year. During her first year at Concordia, a parent-teacher conference with Mr. Green marked the first time anyone—teacher or parent—suggested art could be more than a class or pastime. “Before then, these meetings were always about how well I do in class, never about whether I could do this outside of school,” San recalls. The conversation was a turning point not just for her, but for her mother as well, prompting honest family discussions about the future. For the first time, San and her mom began to see art as a serious, viable path—a possibility that would reshape her high school years and future.

At her previous school, art was standardized—guided by themes and assignments, focused on grades. AP Art at Concordia was an unexpected jolt: suddenly, San was asked to choose her own themes, select her own mediums, and make independent decisions at every step. “It was overwhelming at first, but in the end, it encouraged me to go out and find the things I actually care about, and make art about them,” she says. This independence was both liberating and intimidating, requiring her to dig deep and discover what truly moved her.

Unlike many artists who cite external influences, San’s greatest inspiration is herself—not out of ego, but necessity. “A lot of the work I’ve done over two years here is exploratory art about myself, because it’s the closest to me,” she explains. Her AP portfolios became a form of self-reflection. One sustained investigation tackled “lazy perfectionism”—her term for the cycle of being harshly self-critical while struggling with motivation, a pattern that shaped her stress responses and daily life. Another exhibition explored how sensory memories—smells, sights, sounds—shape identity and critical moments in her life. “I like to dig deep on the meaning behind why things are the way they are,” she says, turning her art into an ongoing process of introspection and self-understanding.
 

The piece San is most proud of is a self-portrait from her latest AP exhibition—a rainbow-colored work that layers two identical images in warm and cool hues. The warm colors represent her past and nostalgia; the cool, her present self. “I’m not exactly letting go of my past, but it will forever be a part of me as I emerge myself in the present,” she explains. The piece is a visual metaphor for San’s journey: from a shy, reserved student to someone who feels “on solid ground,” ready to embrace the future.

San’s ambitions reach beyond traditional definitions of art. She wants her work to be tangible, useful, and impactful. A passion project—designing collectible cat figurines for Operation Smile—made her realize art’s potential for real-world change. “It was an eye-opening experience, because I didn’t realize my art could actually generate revenue for a cause,” she says. The project raised over $10,000 for charity, showing her that art can be more than a pretty piece on a wall. Though time constraints kept her from completing every idea, San hopes to revisit these projects in college, where she’ll have access to more resources and materials.

For San, art is more than a skill—it’s her language. “I don’t think I speak that well or write that well, and I don’t like public speaking. So art really is my way of expressing my thoughts and feelings to other people. That’s why it comes so naturally—because that’s how I communicate with others.” Whether doodling cats in the margins of her textbooks or designing for a cause, art is San’s way of connecting with the world.

One of San’s greatest challenges has been expanding her range of mediums. While comfortable with watercolor, pencil, and acrylic, she wants to experiment more broadly—believing that new materials reveal new ideas. “My challenge right now is to diversify myself as an artist. Expanding my medium range could also expand my ideas and the possibilities I could do.” 

Another hurdle was learning how to handle critique. As an introvert, San had never discussed her work openly before AP Art. The experience of receiving and giving feedback was transformative. “I struggled with critique because I’m not an outspoken person. But I learned that every choice you make has to be meaningful, and you sometimes have to defend those choices which adds more depth to your work.”

San is realistic about what it takes to grow as an artist. “A lot of people, when they think of art, think you need talent. But really, what you need most is perseverance and the grind,” she says. AP Art taught her to overcome obstacles, to keep working even when inspiration faded. “You can’t just rely on inspiration and talent all the time. Grinding and consistency is what really matters in the end.” Her process is routine—revisiting, refining, and sometimes reworking pieces until they meet her standards. For San, the best art is not the product of a single burst of genius, but the result of sustained, consistent effort.

San’s next step is the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where she will major in graphic design. With experience in social media and marketing design already under her belt, she is drawn to the versatility of graphic design—its applications in packaging, product design, web design, and more. “It’s very versatile, especially digitally,” she notes, excited to learn website design and other new skills. Her long-term goal is to start her own creative business, blending art and entrepreneurship. “A lot of people who majored in graphic design that I asked around all have their own business… It really opened my eyes to how versatile it could be.” San also plans to pursue business studies after RISD, seeing herself as someone who can bridge art and commerce.

San’s advice to younger students is both practical and meaningful: “The biggest hurdle is actually accepting that you want to pursue art as a career—you have to take it seriously at first. That’s the first big step.” She encourages students to seek out others in creative fields, ask questions, and learn from their journeys. “There isn’t anything that you should be afraid to try. If it doesn’t work out, it’s a trial and error process. You’ll be fine.”

From an unexpected teacher’s encouragement to the halls of RISD, San Luu has learned to trust her instincts, embrace critique, and use art as a bridge between her inner world and the wider community. As she looks ahead to new challenges and opportunities, San remains committed to making her mark—not just as an artist, but as a communicator and changemaker. Her path shows how art can spark self-discovery, drive real-world change, and connect people in meaningful ways throughout life.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates! Our next and final installment will include Kara Kappelmenn who will be attending NYU in the Fall.