Two incredibly creative seniors have created art that is a major source of inspiration to others.

   Senior Serenity Miller has had her talent recognized by her art teacher, Julie Gemes, as well as competition judges. Miller has won multiple awards for her art work, including three awards this year alone. Miller has been drawing ever since she could hold a pencil. 

   “I took inspiration from cartoons I watched growing up,” Miller said. 

   Miller’s favorite artistic medium is acrylic paint, her reasoning why is because it is easy to use, yet she can use it in multiple ways like layering it for texture and mixing it to make multiple colors. 

    “Art to me is being able to bring your ideas and creativity to life. Art doesn’t have to be good to mean something,” Miller said. 

   Her favorite thing about art class is how creative all her classmates are and how there are unlimited ideas you can create with art. Her favorite art piece she has done is her clown painting. 

  “ I enjoyed painting the texture and getting to use a unique color palette,” Miller said.

   Aleah Minks is a senior who values art. Minks claims it is essential to her and keeps her sane. 

   “When I go long periods without doing something creative. My mental health dwindles really quickly,” Minks claims.  

   Minks has been interested in art ever since a pencil could fit in her hand. She loves any medium that she can get her hands on, but she prefers ballpoint pen and ceramic clay at the moment.  

   “I love pen because it is a very versatile tool, every line is permanent, and that sets me free. I can make a mistake or a wrong line, and I just have to live with it,” she said. 

   Art to Minks is more than just a pen and paper, it is all she knows. It is a part of her everyday life. 

   “To me, art is the act of bringing something into the world that we never had before,” she said.

   Minks claims she doesn’t exactly have a favorite art project but she has a couple that are pretty close. If she had to pick, Minks said it would be her frog jar. 

   “My frog jar was the second sculpture I turned into a jar this year, and it just turned out so well. Everything from lid, to glaze-the art gods smiled upon me,” she said.

   Minks has won a couple awards at conference, she won first place in ceramics and had gotten other awards at the Benton County Art Walk for her creative art work.