Teacher highlights artistic talent emily CHIEN

Working with AP Art Studio students, Melisson Wilson, art teacher, has encountered many exceptional artists. After seeing EHS highlight their own student artists, Wilson started “Artists of the Month” as she believes talented artists deserve recognition for their work.

“We thought that was a great way to recognize some of our awesome artists that we have here at Marquette,” Wilson said. “This is something that we can kind of incorporate other non-seniors as well as just recognizing kids throughout the year.”

Wilson said art is just as integral a subject as other core classes.

“We get kids that are really great in academics, but we also have kids that maybe aren't as strong, Wilson said. "So this is something we can recognize these kids who don’t get recognized for other things.”

Alex Pastuyzn, senior, one of this school year's first artist of the month, said she fell in love with art when she was a child and continues to create more today.

“Art is a great way to express myself and do some thing a little different,” Pastuyzn said.

Pastuyzn said she’s primarily a digital artist and received a lot of influence from social media and art online when trying to teach herself art concepts.

“Especially with digital art, being as new as it is, I really had to teach myself how to use the program and the techniques,” Pastuyn said.

Because art is such an important part of Pastuzyn’s life, she said she plans to do it in the future as well.

“I think I’m always gonna keep art as a hobby,” Pastuyzn said. “I’m debating whether or not to maybe minor in art in college, but I don’t think I'm ever gonna stop.”

Senior Gemma Speichinger, artist of the month for March, said she also plans to do art in the future.

“I definitely plan to do photography in college. Definitely sports and por trait photography,” Spechinger said. “I would love to just paint things for my future apartment and house and college dorms.”

Speichinger said art is a part of her everyday life, as she uses it to let go of her daily stresses.

"Whenever I need to calm down, I just pick up a paint brush,” Speichinger said. “I like how art is available to anybody. And there's so many different kinds you can do that every body can find something that they love.”

Just like Pastuyn, Speichinger also discovered her passion for art when she was a child.

“My Adventure Club teacher told me that my art could be in a museum one day,” Speichinger said. “And after that day, I’ve always been doing art.”