ARTS & EDUCATION
An Open w ritten by SHERIL BE NNE T T TURNER photo g raphed by KRIS DECKER
S
Gift
omeone once told me that every child was born with a special
gift, but you never knew when — or even if — they would open it. Drake Seidl, though, wasted no time opening his gift. “When
I was really little,” he explains, “I traveled a lot with my mother and to pass the time, she would draw me pictures of rabbits, horses, and dogs.” But by the age of three, Drake was the one doing the drawing and in the first grade won his first award for a picture of a tree. Today, at 15, Drake is a multi-talented, straight-A Greer High School student who hasn’t stopped unwrapping his gift and honing his talent in art, as well as music and acting. “Both my mother and father are artsy,” says Drake. “They’ve always encouraged me to get out there and try different things.” Already adept at pencil drawings, his formal lessons with local artist Rebecca Penland Reynolds at age eight resulted in a passion for pastels and portraits as well. Rich in detail and mood, Drake captures in his sketches of ordinary and famous people alike, likenesses that are spot on. “It’s all in the eyes,” Drake remarks. It’s this talent that earned a first place award in the South Carolina Junior Beta Club Convention art competition for his sketch of Albert Einstein. Drake’s love of music also began early when his father, Jan, gave him his first guitar. “It was from Wal-Mart. You know, a little kid’s strum ’em be-bop guitar,” he laughs. Following in the footsteps of his musically gifted older brother, Brandon, Drake soon progressed to playing professional electric guitars and other instruments. “I’ve been playing guitar for nine years now,” he says. “I also enjoy playing the violin and last year began studying piano.” Ever the teenager, Drake’s favorite bands include rock classics like Queen and The Beatles. As far as acting goes, Drake had always wanted to try but was on the shy side. When he was 13, his mother, Ruth Ann, encouraged him to try out for the Greer Children’s Theatre’s production of Aladdin. “When he auditioned,” she says with a smile, “he said he hoped that he’d be good enough to get the part of a villager. He ended up playing Aladdin.” Drake went on to play Prince Charming in the Theatre’s production of Cinderella, finding out that he not only enjoyed acting, but singing as well. “I’m not shy anymore!” he admits.
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GreerNow SEPTEMBER 2007
57
ARTS & EDUCATION
As if art, music, and acting weren’t enough, Drake,
But performing magic shows for events and selling
who in addition to Greer High attended Greenville’s Fine
his art are not just pleasant pastimes for Drake. “I’d like to
Arts Center last year, also found time for other interests.
earn money to help finance my future goals,” he explains.
“I’m an admirer of Tim Burton and his movies and stop-
“I really want to study Psychology at Harvard Medical
motion films. He’s definitely not a realist; he goes way
School and become a psychiatrist. “Dr. Seidl. I like the
out there. He has a way of seeing things that’s a little dark
sound of that,” he jokes. “But really, the deep stuff — the
and disturbing, but at the same time has a light-hearted
philosophical, the psychological, the theological — has
appeal. I greatly admire that.” Creating his own clay figure
always interested me. I think it appeals to me because of
puppet, Drake used stop-motion, or frame-by-frame
my art. Art is not necessarily looking at something and
object animation, to create his own short film. “It took a
drawing it. It’s your perspective and how you see things.
lot of patience and a lot of planning to shoot each frame
It’s the emotions, the human psyche. How this all comes
for every little motion of the figure,” Drake explains, “but
out in art form is amazing. Art will always be very impor-
it was fun.”
tant to me.”
The art of the illusion is Drake’s newest pursuit and
JU N E 2 0 07
$ 3 .9 5
$3 .95
JU LY 20 07
And even though Drake is blessed with amazing ar-
one he hopes to market to paying audiences. “Not just
tistic talents, I think what really impresses me more about
‘pull a rabbit from a hat’ magician tricks, though,” he ad-
this young man is that he is hard-working, level-headed,
mits. “I like to do up-close street magic targeted to teens
down-to-earth, and well-mannered — and those are some
and adults in the style of David Blaine and Penn and
of the best gifts of all.
Teller. Given time, I can usually figure out any trick I see.
For information on Drake’s art, music, acting, or magic shows, contact him at 877-4387 or guitarfreak711@hotmail.com.
I’ve even developed a few of my own tricks.”
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58 GreerNow SEPTEMBER 2007
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