MAC March Student Spotlight: Declan

When we were working on last month's Student Spotlight, it was a snowy winter wonderland and we were hunkering down trying to stay cozy and warm - and just like that, now it's 75 degrees and it feels a lot like SUMMER already! As the snow melts away, and the sun stays out longer, we start thinking about our annual Student Art Show, coming later this spring - so we talked to a student, Declan, who was in the show last year, and plans to be in it again this year. Check out his love of color (and style) in the below photo!

Why do you love art?

I think I like it because you can do whatever you want, and that feels different -because in school they tell you to “draw something like this” but here I can do what I like.

What is a favorite piece of art you have created?

I made this self-portrait in Ms. Ellis’s class last year, and it turned out really well. I like how well I drew it, and it was in black and white. You can tell it’s me - and I think I ended up working on it over 2-3 weeks.

What would you say to a friend to get them interested in art?

I would say that you can do whatever you want, you can start by drawing a character from a favorite show or something else you like.

Do you think art is important? Why?

Yes, I do, because you can express yourself in a way that you can’t with words.

What do you love to create the most?

I feel like I mostly create abstract lately, rather than realistic or detailed pieces. I like that abstract art has fewer fine details, and abstract allows you to step away from those, and instead really focus on lines and colors.

Anything else we should know? Is there any kind of art you wish you could try?

I do a lot of sports in addition to art - I bike, I ski, and I’m looking forward to running next year at MHS. Last year I submitted a painting to the Student Art Show - it was a painting of myself looking at the sun. This year, I’m hoping to work on and submit the piece I’ve been working on here (pictured above).