The Galena High School Art Department is excited to announce our Outstanding Pirate Artist of the Month for March!  The talent of these young artists is remarkable and we are thrilled to share their accomplishments with the community.  Artwork by all nominees is featured below.  Join us in celebrating their skills!

March nominees: Addison Hefel, Leah Heller, Sophia Loso

Criteria: advanced creativity, high level of interest in art, commitment to skill advancement, and outside the box thinking (creativity & problem solving).

Ms. Thraen-Borowski – Sophia Loso is an artist to remember, you’ll hear about her again.  Since the day I met her, I have been amazed by her work.  She has to make art, it is an intrinsic part of who she is and I am confident it will take her far in life.  Her ideas are always her own and she is very thoughtful in her process.  All of this pales in comparison to her technical ability.  The skill this young woman processes is truly remarkable.  And I know it is not some special gift or easy.  The work you see today is a result of all the unseen hours of her figuring out how a medium works, putting in the time to develop the fine motor memory, and then coming back to it all over and over again.  It has truly been a gift to be one of Sophia’s art teachers during her high school career!

Sophia’s thoughts on all things art:   

Why do you think art is important? Art allows people to express themselves when they have no other outlet.

What does art mean to you? Art has so many purposes — whether it’s to educate and inform or simply create something beautiful.

Why do you make art? All I’ve ever known is art. Paint, draw, sculpt, sketch, over and over. It’s who people know me as. The thing I cling onto the most. It’s stress and mess and countless hours bent over a paper with no breaks. I’ve gone hungry for my art. I’ve gone tired for my art. Sometimes I hate it so much that I want to kick and scream and shred it to pieces. But because of it I know strength and patience. It has allowed me to connect with people I never thought I could connect with. Art has given me so much, and I cannot imagine my life without it.

What type of art do you like to make? I love creating portraits. I’m a perfectionist, and capturing someone’s likeness using acrylic on canvas is one of my favorite things. Every little detail matters in the end.

How do you plan to incorporate art into your life after high school? I want to be an interior designer! I’m passionate about creating not just art, but beautiful spaces too. After job shadowing at an architectural firm, I decided that I wanted the chance to be a part of a team that designs spaces in communities.

What is something you wish the outside world knew about high school art classes? High school art classes can help hone your skills outside of creative fields. With a high school art class, you can experiment with creativity and discover new things.

A Celebration of Aunt Sara
Acrylics
12” x 14”

Ms. Thraen-Borowski – Everyone knows Addie for her dominant athleticism, which is amazing!  Without taking anything away from that, I think her academic prowess is sometimes forgotten about.  She has taken strong photos since the start of the school year and really applied herself in every art class I’ve had her in throughout high school.  When presented with a new project (challenge), Addie simply pays attention and figures it out.  She knows how to grind, to steal that sports reference that has been said about her by her coaches.  In the last few months, she has really stepped up in her critical thinking and observations in class discussions.  I look forward to what she will contribute and count on her to play that leadership role in class.  For those of you who know Addie, she is also filled with an excellent dry wit, which has delighted me all year in a variety of ways.

Ms. Thraen-Borowski – This freshman class of artists is stacked, and yet Leah still found a way to separate herself from the pack.  In fact, Leah has impressed from her very first project on.  She is incredibly thoughtful and hardworking.  She holds herself and her artwork to a very high standard.  With every new thing we learn about and try, Leah gives it her all.  You can tell she enjoys art and is interested in creating strong work.  I sincerely hope she will continue to take art classes because the sky’s the limit for her!

Congratulations to all the artists!

For any additional info and to find out ways to support this recognition, contact Ms. Irene Thraen-Borowski at [email protected].il.us