Artists at PVHS

PVHS is filled with students and staff who are nothing short of talented. This is mainly acknowledged in sports and academics, but talent is also coursing through the art community here on campus. During lockdowns and quarantine orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic, many artists have used their extra free time to stay in tune with their creative sides. PV features many talented artists who are passionate about expressing themselves creatively.

Zoe Evans, a junior at PVHS, claims art to be a “pretty big part of [her] life” as she uses it as an outlet to “express [herself]." While the weight of the world is stressful for her right now, Evans finds it “nice to not have to talk about issues,” but rather, “draw or paint them out of [her] system” through art. She submerges herself in her art by spending an estimated “10-14 hours a week” drawing, as it is her favorite form of art.

When the pandemic first hit, Evans used her passion as an “escape” during the stressful time, but now finds herself making art “as often as [she] did pre-covid” for her own enjoyment and “much less for stress relief.” When she is not busy drawing or painting, Evans also enjoys playing video games with her friends, and is very interested in digital game design and creation. While not entirely sure on what career to pursue, Evans has many interests and is not “opposed to pursuing a career in art.”

Another artistic junior at PVHS, Rylee Cavaness, views art as a way to “express your innermost thoughts when you can’t find the words.” She has been passionate about making art her entire life and was eager to take advantage of the free time during quarantine to carry out this passion.

With the stress of senior year approaching, Cavaness finds art to be helpful in dealing with the “pressure and anxiety of college,” and enjoys finding ways to bring art into academics and the school. Before the pandemic, she found a way to bring her artwork to the classroom by painting classroom objects such as calculators, with her teachers’ permission, of course. Math teacher Greg Ford allowed Cavaness to take home several calculators and paint them for his classroom. This not only helped Cavaness “enjoy math more,” but also brought creativity to the classroom.

While PVHS is full of creative students, there are also many teachers with tremendous talent in the arts. Jill McKay, an art teacher at PVHS, expresses herself creatively through many forms of art including jewelry making, photography, and graphic design. For a long time, McKay focused on photography, and even had “[her] own photography studio and did graphic design freelancing.” However, she currently “[makes] jewelry more than anything else.”

McKay loves “working with teenagers'' and “helping kids realize” their artistic potential, making teaching “[not] feel like a job.” She also finds that art can bring quality family time, as her own kids are often inspired to “join in and create with [her].” McKay has always been passionate about making art because it not only serves as a personal “stress reliever” but it also “puts a smile on people’s faces.”