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Ten-year-old Teague is library’s artist of the month


Lane Riggs

Staff Writer

For August’s artist of the month gallery at El Progreso Memorial Library, budding young artist Alicia Teague will have her paintings on display.

Ten-year-old Teague started painting when she was 3, after her grandmother introduced her to the art form. Since then, Teague has found her passion lies in abstract painting.

Though she tries to paint realistic pieces, she said she’s ‘not very proud of those.’ With abstract painting, at least, Teague can experiment with color.

“It’s my first time having my paintings on display at the library,” Teague said. “It’s almost like having my paintings on display in a museum.”

Teague works with watercolors, oil pastels, crayons, acrylic paints and Sharpie. Permanent, messy, loud colors, as she explained it. Similarly, Teague likes art forms that allow her to paint with her fingers. And slime.

“I’m always using my fingers. I try to use paintbrushes but they always end up forgotten on the floor,” Teague said, then added hastily, “not on  the carpet. I paint outside.”

However, she said her favorite type of art is abstract, since she can use her fingers or flick her paintbrush onto pieces with abandon.

Though she experiments  with colors and different media, Teague said she can’t paint people well. However, Teague set learning how to paint people as a goal.

Another goal is to learn how to do henna, a form of body art that involves dye that typically lasts 1-4 weeks.

In addition to her painting, both on her own and recently with Southwest Texas Junior College art associate professor Abel Ortiz in his mural art camp hosted July 15-19, Teague is a Girl Scout and regularly volunteers with the Humane Society and the library.

“My family and I like to take the dogs out for walks,” she said. “It makes them really happy.”

Additionally, Teague and her younger brother, Lucas, run a recycling business called Tiny Teague’s Recycling. The two pick up bins from seven families every two weeks and take the bins to the recycling center at 4638 E. Main St.

In school, Teague likes math and taking photographs for 4-H. Her favorite sports are tennis and swimming. And she looks forward to joining Student Council, when the opportunity becomes available to her.

But for now, a normal summer day consists of feeding her pets, reading, swimming and cleaning her room. Or making frequent trips to Hobby Lobby.

“My brother says my closet is like a mini Hobby Lobby, because I keep all of my art supplies in there,” Teague said.

Her family, in particular mother, Eliana, expressed how proud they are of her.

“We’re excited that her artwork is on display at the library,” Eliana said. “When we moved, we went to the library first. The library was a huge deal for us. Now we are really involved in the library, so it’s fun to show her artwork off.”

Eliana said she hopes her daughter’s installation will encourage more kids to put their artwork on display.

Though some of her pieces will be up for sale, Teague said she is too attached to some. This includes her Matisse-inspired piece with watercolor and black Sharpie, completed when she was around 5 years old.

The Teague family expressed how surprised they were by the amount of art opportunities in Uvalde, said Eliana.

“I didn’t feel like I had to give up art when we moved from Houston,” Teague said.

One thing Teague likes to remind everyone: her initials, Alicia Reece Teague, spell out art. Her initials help to highlight how important art is to her.

Her installation will be up for viewing at El Progreso Memorial Library by Monday.

One thing to look out for at the El Progreso installation: some of her older pieces feature an upside down L or a backwards C, as Teague did not then know how to spell her name.

“I don’t do that anymore,” she laughed.

Teague is the daughter of Eliana and Ryan Teague. She is an incoming fifth-grader at Knippa Independent School District.

A painting by El Progreso Memorial Library's August Artist of the Month, 10-year-old Alicia Teague.

A painting by El Progreso Memorial Library’s August Artist of the Month, 10-year-old Alicia Teague.

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