Senior Advanced Placement Studio Art student Christina Moore first got seriously into art in seventh grade. Moore is not pursuing art as a career but has expressed that it will always be a hobby and emotional release. She enjoys Advanced Placement Studio Art because it is nice to have people to connect with who share the same interest and can understand the different vocabulary.

“You kinda discover yourself and your style the more you work with it (art),” Moore said.

Another reason Moore enjoys AP Studio Art is because it is a way to work with different mediums that she otherwise wouldn’t have access to outside of school. Moore enjoys working with water colors.

Classmate senior Kyleigh Steenrod said that Moore takes “outside art” and makes it unique.

“She takes weird objects like a sponge and makes it awesome,” Steenrod said.

During class, Moore looks down, glancing back and forth between a picture on her phone and her colorful paper. Her hand makes a flicking motion with her pen, seemingly tracing something only she can see.

“Doodling is it’s own art,” Moore said.

Along with Moore on this journey is senior Talynn Simer. Simer had an art teacher in kindergarten that helped her paint a frog and art has always been fun for her since. She started taking art seriously in ninth grade. Simer works at an art studio called Pottery Palace in Grain Valley, though she has stated that she does not want to make a career out of her art.

“Working might take the passion out of it,” Simer said.

Simer has said that her favorite type is abstract art and enjoys working with acrylics which are really pigmented water based paint but recently has been using oil bars which are like crayons or lipstick.

“The messier the better,” Simer said.

At one point during class Simer reaches over herself and dips her paint brush gently into dark black paint. She then applies the paint to the canvas in small strokes. Her other hand holds the canvas up and still as she focuses on her piece.

“Her artwork has deeper meaning,” Steenrod said.

Ms. Kim Meneses teaches the AP Studio Art course. She believes that Moore takes her art further and goes above and beyond, while Simer uses meaningful and powerful words and meanings in her art. Ms. Meneses encourages students that when you enjoy an experience you can build on it.

“Art impacts everything in our lives,” Ms. Meneses said.

As Simer finishes her last stroke she swishes her paintbrush in a cup of water then sets it down as she stands and cautiously walks to where she hangs her canvas to dry. Moore meanwhile puts her pens and pencils away and gathers her art to store in a box on the other side of the room. It all waits for them to return the next day for another addition of colorful creativity.