For junior Cesar Godinez, art is simply not a hobby. Art has allowed him to overcome the difficulties he was forced to experience during his early childhood. Godinez first got interested in art through his second cousins.

“He drew spectacularly,” Godinez said. “It was interesting to me and I would always look at him.”

In addition to the deaths of several members in his family, Godinez was verbally bullied during elementary and some of middle school. Trying to avoid getting his parents involved in the situation, Godinez kept what was going on at school to himself.

“I stopped caring,” Godinez said. “It really bothered me but I got to the point where I just stopped caring.”

Godinez has used art as an escape route so that, instead of dwelling on the negative things that he has experienced, he prefers to turn on some music, grab a pencil and draw according to the lyrics of the song.

“Every time I listen to lyrics, it’s like its telling me a story,” Godinez said. “I imagine the story and I draw it. I write it on a piece of paper and my story comes to life.”

According to Godinez, art did not stop at being simply his escape route. Art also allowed him to make friends.

“[Eventually] people actually begun talking to me because they thought I was interesting,” Godinez said. “I made friends because of my art.”

Godinez sells his paintings and drawings to family, family friends, and co-workers, and he would like to have his art exhibited and displayed someday. However, he says that he will not limit himself to just art.

“I would like to expand to do different types of things,” Godinez said. “So I can be prepared [in case] this doesn’t work, I can do something else. But for now, art is my priority.”