Sahuaro High School’s senior class is brimming with talent, and the two most well-known artists are Jade Christiansen and Johnny Acereto; they are amazing artists who have done incredible work at our school. Both have unique ways of making art and work hard at it. Their passion for expressing themselves through art has made their classmates and the whole school appreciate art more. Jade and Johnny’s artistic talents were recognized by their fellow classmates by being voted “Best Artists” in the senior superlatives.

Johnny Acereto has been an artist since he was just a little kid. It all started because of his mother, who is also an artist. She got him into it when he was young. Acereto loves art because it’s just so beautiful and fun. “When I’m creating art, I feel all sorts of emotions, but a lot of the time I’m just chill.”

The art-making process is a way for Johnny to really express himself. He can put all those feelings – the good, the bad, and the in-between – into his work. It’s like his own personal outlet, where he can just let it out.

When creating art, Acereto loves to use watercolors, acrylic paint, pencils, and markers to create his pieces. He also loves “doing digital art.”

Johnny’s been an artist his whole life, and he loves the creativity and the emotions that come with it. Whether he’s feeling fired up or totally relaxed, Acereto pours his heart and soul into every piece he creates.

Other than art, Johnny likes to play video games on the PS4, the Switch, and the Nintendo 3DS. He also enjoys singing and sewing. As for college, Acereto doesn’t have a plan yet, but if he were to attend, he would study music.

Johnny Acereto is a wonderful person, with amazing talent and passion, and we can’t wait to see what the future brings for him and his beautiful art.

Here’s some of Johnny’s work:

Jade Christiansen started understanding what drawing was in the second grade, “But I didn’t start taking it seriously until seventh grade, when we finally got an art class at Gridley Middle School,” Christiansen shared. “Mr. Mills, the art teacher there, reignited my love for art.”

Into The Spider-Verse came out during that time and helped Jade to be able to draw whatever she wanted. “Getting into comic books and books in general has always made me want to draw.” Books allow her to visualize characters, settings, and events, inspiring her mind to create art.

She loves art so much because it allows her to create and put something out into the world, even if she’s the only one who sees it. Jade loves that each art style has its own personality, and she loves how she can express herself through her artwork. “I can not only intake from the media, but I can also create it for myself.”

“I love to use digital mediums, because it helps me be more creative.” For traditional mediums, Jade likes to use colored pencils and alcohol markers. “The pencils make for great shading when using the markers,” Christiansen shared.

When Jade is creating art, she said she, “…can only describe the feeling as…right.” When she creates art, her mind and body know exactly what she should be doing. Jade puts a lot of emotion and time into her art, and it has made her into the individual she is today.

Besides art Jade loves to read, “My bookshelf is currently very full and has little to no wiggle room, but that’s not going to stop me from buying more!” she exclaimed. Jade also wants to go to college, “I already have my scholarship to the University of Arizona; I want to be an art teacher.” Jade is going in the fall of 2026 after she serves a church mission.

With her amazing talent and steady determination, Jade Christiansen’s journey promises to be a colorful ride filled with creativity and endless possibilities. We can’t wait to see what the future brings for her.

Jade’s Art: