High School News Paper

"I'm my biggest critic," says senior
Ashley Brown in regards to her artwork. A student in several art classes, including painting and photography II, Brown says that she enjoys the freedom she has in Mrs. Hanson's Advanced Placement art class.

She says her favorite thing about being in the AP art class is the constructive criticism she receives from other students in the class, because she feels she could really use their evaluations.

Although she enjoys the freedom of using her own ideas for her artwork, she is not able to exercise that freedom just yet, and that is one of the things she doesn't enjoy. Right now, the class is working on still lifes set up in the art room. Brown says she also wished the class period was longer.

Discovering a hobby in drawing at a young age, it was around 8th or 9th grade when Brown decided she wanted to pursue a career in art. She plans to go to Kendall in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She says she heard it was a good school, that wasnt too expensive, and it doesnt hurt that her boyfriend lives in Michigan. Even though Brown knows where she wants to go to college, she is still undecided between two loves. Aside from art, Brown works with special education kids in the highschool. "I love doing that," she says. With a love of both art and special education, she plans to have a double major in both fields. If after that she still unable to decide, she says she will probably go into art therapy because it is a mixture of both of the things she enjoys.

Brown says ever since the joined the AP Art class, she draws everyday, as she is quite busy with the class. Outside of school, Brown waits for the mood to strike before she draws. Her inspiration comes from magazines and other artwork that she finds online. She says the competitive side of her arises when she sees other people with good artwork. It inspires her and she wants her artwork to be good as well.

Artists of the past dont really inspire her, but she likes some of the work of Degas. "I think his ballerinas are beautiful," she says.

"I feel that the besides being very picky, she has a smooth flowing style that allows her to unify colors and textures," says fellow art student and good friend, senior Tim Lozny. "She has a knack for blending and she can take the roughest images and make them interesting. She has a unique outlook on objects, and the world as a whole."

Brown's favorite subject matter to draw is the female figure. She doesn't like to plan out her drawings. She says she likes to just draw and what ever the picture turns into is what is turns into.

"I think Ashley dares to be different and unique, she is colorful in her personality and her artwork," says Hanson. "She comes in during her lunch time and her study hall to work on her portfolio. I think one of her biggest improvements this year is the fact that she is determined to finish each artwork, which wasnt the case in past years."