How to easily start conversations?

So I’ve just started a new art class at school and I’d like to make friends with the people at my table. It takes like a really long time for me to become comfortable talking around new people so right now I’ve been really quiet. Obviously, over time I’ve found that it speeds up the process a bit if I just keep talking to people even if I’m a bit nervous at first. Problem is, I can never think of anything to talk about. I find this really frustrating, I don’t want them to think of me as “the girl who doesn’t talk” because I’m really not like that!
It usually takes me a couple months of being in a class just to feel like I can be myself around everyone else.
Most of the friends I’ve made at school the past two years have said things like “My first impression if you was that you were really shy, but now you’re not and you’re actually really cool.”
So my first question is, how do I easily come up with something to talk about?
And also, how can I learn to easily make friends with people faster than my usual pace?
Is this just my personality?
I’m sure this is just a side effect of homeschooling and something I’ll get better at as the years go on, but I still want to make this easier on myself.
Thanks guys.