One thing you should know about Brooke Medina ’22 is that she is the absolute definition of a girlboss: from being an amazing goalie to ASB member to writing and acting in her own musical, the girl has done it all…and this was just during freshmen year.

She is the standard, and you cannot convince me otherwise.

Now that Brooke is a senior, you’d think she would kick back and relax to enjoy her last few months of high school, right?

Absolutely! And she’s doing this through (drumroll please)…ceramics!

Aside from ASB, sports, and theater, Brooke has been dabbling in the art of molding clay, and I was given the pleasure to interview her on her journey as a ceramicist.

How long have you been making ceramics?
“I started making ceramics in the beginning of junior year when I joined Rosary’s Ceramics class and learned a majority of the techniques over Zoom.”

What inspired you to do ceramics?
“I always wanted to do ceramics ever since I saw my older sister do it in high school. I saw the fun creations she made and was inspired to try it when I came to Rosary.
Also, I’m obsessed with Seth Rogen because he literally is a triple or quadruple threat being an actor, director, comedian, AND HE MAKES REALLY COOL CERAMICS. I mean what an ICON.”

Have you encountered any difficulties in ceramics?
“So many!! First of all, it’s hard to control the clay. It can crack or completely shatter through the entire process of making it. One time, I tried to make a life-sized and functional skateboard, and let’s just say, I ended up making something else completely different..”

What’s your favorite piece you’ve made?
“One of my favorite pieces that I’ve done is this triptych I made of one of my favorite artists, AJR. I made three separate pieces of their most famous album covers and put an A, a J, and an R behind it. My favorite detail is that each letter matches the person in the piece because “AJR” represents each of the members’ names.”

Have you been in any art competitions to show off your work?
“Last year, I was nominated for OC Artist of the Year, where my work was submitted with other students around the OC area. I’m also in the process of making a piece for an upcoming ceramics competition next month.”

Have you always been artistic?
“I’ve always thought I was not very artistic. I remember growing up and having a friend who was an art prodigy since 2nd grade and then entering into high school where people had these intricate pieces. I felt like I would never be able to be as artistic as them who creates beautiful oil paintings or classy watercolor works. Entering ceramics, I thought this would still be the case, but I was able to find a new side of me with creativity flowing through my hands and onto my pieces. I am a visual learner and definitely like to work with my hands, so this became an escape for me and was something that helped me get through tough times.”

Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to try ceramics?
“If you ever want to try out ceramics, I suggest just going with the flow. If something messes up, try and incorporate it into the artwork. If something shatters, take those pieces and create something new! Ceramics is a 10 /10 experience, so just go for it and have fun.”

Overall, Brooke Medina inspires me to be a better person and to try new things. She is one of the most talented, ambitious, and kindest person I’ve ever met, and I’m looking forward to what she’s going to do next.

If you are interested in seeing more of Brooke’s work or supporting her small business, Ceramics By Janice, please visit her Instagram: @ceramics_by_janice or TikTok: @Ceramicsbyjanice.