Every artist out there dreams of having their work on display. Tons of people gathering to admire the work you pour onto a canvas sounds perfect.

   For senior Thomas Mateesco, that came to a halt when Art Basel Miami Beach 2020 was canceled.

   Jean-Thomas Mateesco, who prefers Thomas, has been creating art since he was little, loving to capture different facial expressions and lighting. “When I was choosing my topic question to submit, I was very excited when I was told that I can be creative and do whatever I felt like,” says Thomas.

   Everything artists were looking forward to at Art Basel this year was taken. For Thomas, the reaction from his parents was what he would miss for what would’ve been his first year in Art Basel.

   “I wanted to see their proud faces,” Thomas says. He’d been working hard on his pieces over an 8 month period, and was excited to receive his parents’ congratulations.

   When first hearing the news about Art Basel, Mateesco states that he was disappointed, however not surprised, considering the increase in COVID cases.

   Although Thomas didn’t get the chance to display his work, he’s had the wonderful experience of admiring others’ art. “I loved when I saw everyone’s artwork. There were some artwork pieces that had my jaw DROPPING to the floor,” wrote Thomas.

   According to Mateesco, Art Basel was a fun experience. Unfortunately there was no end result, and Thomas hopes for another chance to be able to show off his art.