In this piece, titled Remember Me, I wanted to share what this raccoon and otter represent in my life. The raccoon symbolizes my dog, Boomer. Boomer is a Springer, and sometimes he acts a little too much like a raccoon! The otter symbolizes my dog, Reed. Reed passed away less than a year ago, but for some reason, his eyes remind me of an otter’s eyes. My dogs are the main inspiration for many of my art pieces, and they motivate me to always try my hardest when creating art. 

To create this piece, I used a combination of colored pencils to build contrast and show a variety of colors. To capture the details, I used different shades of the same color and blended them together depending on the surrounding colors. Blending the colored pencils allowed me to build depth and bring the animals to life. My main challenge with this piece was doubting my abilities, but as the drawing came together, I began to see that I could accomplish what I had imagined..

Through this process, I learned how to overcome my doubts and trust the process of creating art. I learned that artwork does not look perfect right away, and patience is needed to see the final result. The green in the piece adds warmth and a refreshing feeling. The browns and grays remind me of my dogs, and their expressions make me think about how happy they always were. The extra touches of nature add character and life to the piece. Even though Reed is gone, this artwork reminds me that he will always be with me. 

In my piece, I depicted six different breeds of sheep: Black-Nosed Valais, Babydoll Southdown, Hampshire, Cheviot, Katahdin, and Targhee. I chose to paint sheep because I grew up raising and showing them and have been around all these breeds throughout my life. The Hampshire in the painting has a yellow tag with the number “1066,” which represents my family’s farm number that we place on our sheep’s ear tags. Sheep have been an important part of not only my life, but also South Dakota’s history. The town of Newell has hosted one of the largest sheep sales in the nation, which has earned it the title of the “Sheep Capital of the Nation.” South Dakota is also one of the top sheep-producing states in the United States. This piece brings me a sense of nostalgia while also representing the diversity of sheep our state has produced.

The painting features a colorful, checkered background. I chose colors that would stand out against each other, creating a strong contrast. Because the background is bold and distinctive, I selected six distinct sheep breeds to highlight the diversity of sheep production. The entire painting was created using acrylic paint. To create different wool textures, I used a variety of brushstrokes depending on the breed of sheep. This allowed me to show each breed's distinct characteristics.

Through this piece, I hope viewers can see the unique traits of different sheep breeds. Sheep are often not thought about as much as livestock like cattle or chickens, but they are an important part of agriculture. This painting highlights both wool breeds, such as the Targhee and Black-Nosed Valais, and meat breeds, such as the Hampshire and Katahdin. Each sheep is unique to its breed, and I hope viewers can notice and appreciate those details. 

In this piece, titled And They All Ate and Were Satisfied, I wanted to explore both the warmth and the painful realization of what God has done in my life. The inspiration for this project came from thinking about people who do not have meals, clean water, a home, or a family every day. I have all of those things and more by the grace of God and through the family He has blessed me with. The two things that drive me as I create my art are Jesus Christ and my family. I chose this subject because it reminds me how easy it is to take these blessings for granted. As someone who identifies as a Christian, creating this piece brought conviction, but it has also helped me grow more grateful for what I have and what my family has been given through Christ.

To create this piece, I used a combination of instant coffee and traditional watercolor. The coffee was used to create different tones on the cutting board and in the shadows, helping the piece look more realistic. The watercolor brought the painting together by adding earthy tones of blues, greens, browns, and tans. The pinkish stroke in the middle of each fish adds a pop of color and represents the blood of Christ. The speckles on the fish were also created with watercolor and applied individually using a dotting tool. One of the challenges of this piece was allowing enough time between each layer to dry without trying to perfect everything on the first layer.

Through this process, I learned how to carefully blend similar colors and create different shades using coffee as a medium. I hope viewers feel a sense of conviction if they have taken anything for granted, while also feeling warmth and understanding that Jesus forgives and loves all of us. As I continue creating art, I hope to keep representing the things that matter most to me—my family, my faith, and the blessings I have been given.

The inspiration for my tic-tac-toe board, titled The Great Barrier Reef, came from my many coastal family vacations. Throughout my life, I have visited many beaches, and those experiences have made me fascinated by the ocean and the endless mysteries that have yet to be discovered. I am drawn to art because it is the easiest way for me to express my personality. It allows me to show who I am in ways that words sometimes cannot. While I value art for many reasons, the one that stands out most to me is that it allows me to escape from reality. Even if it is only for a short time, that escape has a meaningful impact on me. 

To create the pieces for the board, I used air-dry clay. I first drew a starfish and a seashell on paper to make stencils. After cutting them out, I shaped the clay pieces and added more detail using a shaping tool. When painting the pieces, I used two shades of color to create value and a sponge to add texture. To create the board itself, I used another stencil that matched the shape of my smaller seashell pieces. For the board design, I researched coral species found in the Great Barrier Reef and incorporated some of my own ideas to represent the mysterious, unexplored ocean. I used a combination of Posca markers and acrylic paint to add color, and I used a sponge again in some areas to create texture.

Through this process, I learned to work with air-dry clay and create texture with a sponge. I hope viewers are intrigued by my project and notice the blend of imagination and reality in the design. My goal was for the coral, seashells, and starfish to look somewhat familiar, while the colors appear unique and unusual.