Teen Open House Artist: Cydney Elenbarger

The Scott Family Amazeum is hosting their very first Teen Open House on August 26, 2023! To celebrate engaging more with teens in our community, we wanted to involve them in the very root of the event - the design! Our team invited local artist Cydney Elenbarger to create a look that encapsulated the event through the lens of a Gen-Z teen.

 

How old are you, what grade are you in?

I'm 16, going into 11th grade.

How long have you been a digital artist? What made you start?

I started taking digital art seriously when I got my iPad, about four years ago. But I was introduced to digital art and animation around 2015 through my older cousin, whom I am close with. I really admired her work and wanted to be the same.

What is your dream job?

My dream job is to work with the environment and with plants in a personal way. I love to understand the way environments work together and admire their beauty. Art is my outward expression of the appreciation I have for beautiful things.

How do you know the Amazeum? Have you been here before?

I went to the Amazeum when it opened. I've always known about it, and their outreach towards teens makes me feel more involved.

What inspired your design?

I tried to involve every aspect of the event I could into the design. Print making, the photo booth, the dance floor, and the mural. The photo, printing, and dancing are represented through the polaroid. The mural is interpreted through large brushstrokes.

How do you feel about your design?

I made several drafts when coming up with a design. This was my favorite, and I was very happy to move along with it.

What was it like working with the Amazeum team?

Working with the team went very smooth. I felt listened too and like I was guided. I never felt unsure of what I was doing, and they made the process easy to understand. This was my first professional commission.

What did you learn from this experience?

As my first professional commission, I was introduced to parts of this process I'd never experienced. Receiving feedback and completing drafts, specifically on a schedule, was a new constraint for me. I had to learn time management.

How do you want to work with the Amazeum in the future?

I would love to do similar projects with the Amazeum in the future. Being able to express my own scientific and STEM-related interests through art is something I could see being involved with the Amazeum.