One of the many spectacular parts of living along the Blue Ridge is the fantastic creativity of such a vibrant and beautiful land and community. At a school that emphasizes exploring multiple disciplines, many of Roanoke College’s students are part of that artistic community, whether through their studies or hobbies. This semester, I wanted to see what students like that could learn from other local artists. This week I interviewed Bryce Cobbs!
Q: What are your primary artistic mediums, and what specifically draws you to them?
A: My primary artistic mediums are graphite pencil and oil paint. I have recently been getting into mural works using acrylic paints. I really love graphite because it’s the first medium I started using as a child. It’s easy to pick up and extremely accessible for anyone and everyone. Oil paint speaks to me because of its complexity to work with. The way I’m able to blend all my colors together seamlessly allows for some really great, realistic paintings. Mural work, while somewhat new to me, is really exciting because of the scale at which I get to work. Seeing my drawings come to life in a space with so much visibility gives me a feeling I’ve never experienced before.
Q: What parts of your life have most fostered your creativity?
A: My family has always been very creative. Seeing my parents, aunts, uncles, and even grandparents create things in their own way and be creatives in their respective passions has always inspired me to find my own passion where I myself can be creative. I also am very much into music and find that a lot of my creativity stems from my love of hip hop. The storytelling and relatability to the core essence of the music curates a lot of my passion for what I do in my art.
Q: How did you come to the Roanoke area?
A: I was born and raised in Roanoke, Virginia.
Q: What are you working on artistically currently, and what are the next steps on your bucket list?
A: Currently, I am doing a lot of things that push me out of my comfort zones such as murals and potentially large exhibitions. I hope that in the future I can continue to push myself and work on even larger projects.
Q: What is your advice to young artists?
A: My advice to young artists is to always push yourself. Always trying new things keeps your mind fresh and prepared for whatever projects you wish to explore in the future. And stay true to yourself and your art, create what you want, how you want, and follow your heart as an artist.
Maggie Raker
Culture, Wellness & Lifestyle Editor
