Senior Annabelle “Andy” Mclaughlin walks into the art room and sits his stuff down while going to grab his materials for his project. He takes the materials back to his desk and slowly starts sorting through, debating what he wants to use. Mclaughlin picks up some buttons and some ribbon like material and gently glues it onto the dome he’s using for the project. 

Mclaughlin has been involved with the Art Department all four years of high school. He uses recyclable materials and different types of plastics and other things that would be found in the ocean and in the world. 

“I am working on pollution and plastics, and stuff that’s going on in the water and in the world,” Mclaughlin said. “I’m trying to capture that we can use recyclable things for something beautiful.”

Mclaughlin’s favorite kind of media is 3D Design and Sculpting. It gives him more creative room to work with. His art has caught the eye of his classmates and they seem to enjoy the things he creates while in class.

“I don’t know him very well but I’ve seen some of his artwork and it’s pretty cool,” Junior Minda Green said. “I think he could make a serious thing out of it.”  

Mclaughlin plans on working after school until the fall where he will start his two years at Metropolitan Community College and then continue on to the Kansas City Art Institute. He tries to have meaning to his art, to have it show something to others around him.

“I think his art is really cool and I think it really speaks volume about the stuff that’s going on in our world involving trash and recycling,” Senior Finn Claflin said. “I think it’s inspiring.” 

Mclaughlin started his art journey at the young age of 7. As he got older, his artistic abilities kept growing and evolving. 

“I started making little books at the age of 7 and as I started getting up into high school, I joined art and am now a senior in AP Art,” Mclaughlin said. “It really helped me grow as an artist and I really enjoy taking these classes.”

He continues gently gluing pieces on, trying to represent the pollution that’s in our world today. When his class ends, he puts his stuff away and washes his hands before gathering his stuff and leaving the classroom satisfied.