After failing to qualify for state, I decided to transform my emotional disappointment into a new opportunity. I chose to spend most of the South Dakota State Tournament documenting my teammate’s journey through photography. Even though there were many great photos I took, I picked this specific photo because of the meaning behind it and the emotion it carries. This photo was taken right after my teammate, who was the six seed, beat the 3 seed to advance to the state finals, and is her reaction to her dream coming true, and being able to capture that moment for her was extremely special. To create this piece, I took pictures throughout all her matches during the state tournament. After the tournament concluded, I picked the photo I felt represented her tournament and the work put into it the best. My favorite part of creating this artwork was being able to watch all her matches from the side and witness her dreams come to life. The one part of this whole experience that surprised me the most was the amount of emotion that was expressed, not even just by my teammate, but through our wrestling coach and her sister; it really goes to show how much of a team sport wrestling gets to be. 

I made a Tic Tac Toe board representing Batman and The Joker in Gotham City. I used clay to sculpt the pieces including the board. Then I painted it with various acrylic paints. I mainly used my hands and a little bit of water to make my piece, oh, and my Exacto Knife of-course. I enjoyed this project a lot and would encourage others to do something similar. My inspiration for this piece was my love for Batman and his movies. I also enjoyed the contrast between the two characters that helped describe the rivalry between the two pieces. 

I made this piece of art to show what a morning in my room would look like. I included pictures of me, my friends, and family to represent the wall of photos I have. My room is decorated to make you feel warm and welcome when you walk in. When I wake up in the morning, I like to see these pictures and know I'm not alone, and that I have so many people in my life who care about me. I used a rendering pen to make the skin, clothing, and hair look more realistic. I also used a glow brush to add a bit of shine to the hair. And I used a blending brush to mix the colors together and add more details. The pictures in the background show the people who motivate me and give me a reason to keep going. 

I would describe my art piece by using words like peaceful, heartfelt, free, and sinful. I made “Easter Sunday Church Morning” because of what the holiday Easter means to me! I created this art piece with clothes pins, mod podge, and acrylic paint. I placed the clothes pins in the way you see, then waited for them to dry and painted them white and black with a flat paint brush. After that had dried, I used a toothbrush to splatter white acrylic paint on the black cross and different lighter colors on the little white cross. They dried and I glued the two together. I learned that the pins have to be a certain way before they could be glued, and that you have to be precise with the paint. I felt like I had more patience with this, knowing why and how I felt making it, along with what Easter means to me. The season of Lent is what inspired me to create this piece. My favorite part of this project was being able to take the season of Lent to reflect on myself, habits, and my sins. It was very surprising that it was as hard as it was trying to get in between the clothes pins. 

I create art because my life is filled with so many other things, and it's nice to take a break. I have two siblings, and sometimes I feel like a smaller version of them. I enjoy doing things that set me apart. We all excel in academics, and I often get caught up in grades, so art provides a necessary escape. I've always been a fan of art, so I was thrilled to learn our school was starting an art club this year. To me, art is a space where I can express myself and bring my ideas to life. I call this piece “The Whimsical House.” I imagine my friends and I stumbling upon this house deep in the woods. I used watercolors to create depth and a light, airy feeling. I was inspired to paint this because I dream of living in a house like this someday. 

The name of my piece is “Chase.” This piece is a memorial for my best friend's brother. We sadly lost him too early due to mental health troubles, and they truly miss him. I was inspired to do something for them that would remind them that he is always with them. Their brother is Native American and part of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. The colors of my piece represent the Medicine Wheel and his favorite colors. My favorite part of this piece is showing the girls and seeing their reaction to it. They loved it, and they couldn’t believe that I would make a piece like this. They especially loved the piece when they found out that when I get my piece back, they get to keep it. Art is my escape from reality. I use art to escape from stressful situations or when I need to relax. Due to having ADHD, I get overstimulated very easily. Using art as something to calm me down is a tremendous help, plus I get to use my creative thoughts to express myself and sometimes the way I’m feeling. I created my art piece by carving my plate to create the feather's texture. Inspired by the Medicine Wheel's colors, I made multiple versions of the same plate to create a balanced piece. 

I sculpted Tyler, My paper mâché, plaster and clay Tiger. My greatest inspirations are Jesus, my mom, my great grandma, my friends, and my art teacher. They’ve all encouraged me through difficult parts of my projects, and I deeply admire them for that. Creating Tyler was a long process, from deciding his pose and appearance to choosing colors and symbolism. I ultimately depicted him lying down, symbolizing Jesus’s invitation to rest at His feet when weary. The yellow, orange, and red colors represent the “on fire” feeling I get listening to worship music with friends. I intended on writing Bible verses and names we call Jesus, but I ended up leaving it with the shapes and colors so that those who walk by it, can create their own story. Jesus is my primary influence. His guidance and inspiration drive me to create unique pieces. Through my art, I aim to spread the word of God. I believe Jesus has called me to create for those I love and for those unfamiliar with my work. With my Art, I want people to understand that with effort and self-belief, their creations will reflect their intentions. I struggled with self-doubt during Tyler’s creation but finishing him showed me that God as a plan, and things often turn out better than expected. 

As I was drawing my art piece, I was thinking of my future. Most people want a lot of money, a big house, and an expensive car. But I was thinking about my future. My dream is to have a onebedroom, one-bathroom farmhouse. I want to live in the country, five miles from my hometown. I want a garden, chickens, and a shed. I want to live as peacefully as possible. I know it's not a lot, but people have different dreams. I used only pencil for this project. I also smudged the pencil lines with my finger, tissue paper, and my smudge pencil.