Hi ^_^ I’m Dhrithi! I was a student at the Freestyle Academy from 2023-25 and Mountain View High School from 2021-25.
For a long time, I’d keep the things I make hidden away for my eyes only. Freestyle has helped me come out of that shell and share more of my work with the people around me (like through this website!) Putting my work out there has given me a stronger drive to improve and create, and it’s played into my strong value for community.
Freestyle has helped me grow a lot as a digital artist/designer! As someone who was almost going to be a pure STEM major, I didn’t consider art to be part of my career until midway through high school. I was mostly self-taught, creating projects for fun and for extracurriculars. Taking classes at Freestyle helped me develop foundations that I lacked, and I noticed a significant improvement in my projects. I also appreciate how taking classes at Freestyle helped me realize that I want to pursue a combination of both art and STEM (hooray for STEAM)! I think I have a lot more clarity in my future goals because of this program, and I am so grateful that I got to be a part of it.
Lately, I’ve been exploring UX and web design, and I think they’re pretty interesting! I’m a bit new to coding, but its capabilities, coupled with good design, can go hand in hand to result in really cool things. I’d like to pursue a related field in the future.
In my senior year, I led the design team for SLAM Magazine, a social justice and arts magazine. I have designed for 10+ articles since joining the publication as a sophomore. I was also a violist in the MVHS Orchestra for all 4 years of high school. Beyond extracurriculars, I like doing my own art and design projects, whether that’s through my adventures in Photoshop, attempts at using a camera, or making pretty things with whatever materials I have on hand.
When I’m feeling lazy, I enjoy playing video games, making playlists, and going out with my friends! My two most frequented lazy day places are my local park (for pondering) and my weighted blanket (for napping). I’m a pretty sleepy person, but I try my best to keep things caffeine-free!