Jessica Riddell

     Born on May 30, 1996 in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Jessica Riddell was introduced to art at a very young age. She began taking art classes in Kindergarten and continued with it throughout Elementary school. She took art classes for two years while in middle school and stopped her eighth grade year. While in middle school, she had her art displayed in Cross Creek Mall and at her school. She picked back up her freshman year of high school and has currently taken up to AP Studio Art. She didn't start taking her artistic talent seriously, though, until seventh grade; that's when she noticed what potential she has.

     Currently a freshman at Fayetteville State University, she graduated from Seventy-First High School. Her high school art career has been the most successful for her. Coming in as a freshman, she was recruited to join the National Art Honor Society. She turned down the invite though because she wanted to get used to high school and because she also wanted to play soccer when the season came around. Ryan McCredie, also known as Coach Mac, became her art teacher during her sophomore year of high school. He was also the soccer coach at her school. Mr. McCredie is the one person who has inspired her the most as an artist. "Most of the techniques I have learned, I learned in his class. If I had to chose one person that I look up to the most as an artist, I would definitely pick Coach Mac without a doubt." This was also the first year her school held an art auction and she was involved in it. During her Junior year, she was invited to join the National Art Honor Society again, and that's when she became a member. She was also involved in the second annual art auction held at her school. Her artwork was involved and she was also involved with helping run the program. While in high school, she had her artwork handpicked by an administrator to hang in their office, she helped paint a FSU ceiling tile that is still currently hanging in the hallway near the gym at Seventy-First High School, Jessica and one of her best friends painted a chair that is sitting in one of the art classrooms, she had her artwork displayed in the school's display case in front of the auditorium, her artwork was involved in the 1st and 2nd annual art auctions at her school, she won 1st place for the people's choice award, She was invited to join the National Art Honor Society (She joined and was a member for 2 years), and she received the Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for one of her artworks submitted to Washington DC.

     Artistic talent runs in her family. Growing up, her father has always done sculpting and woodwork around her. On her mother's side of the family her grandfather used to draw, along with her uncle. Her grandmother and her second cousin, Paul, painted. On her father's side of the family her uncle, Martin, is an actor and her grandfather bakes.