Art

Gissel Gomez is a seventeen-year-old Mexican American artist. She is the Editor-in-chief of her school’s literary magazine, and her artwork has been recognized by several publications. Beauty is her main inspiration and can only hope for people to stop and stare at her work.

I took this picture near the summit of Haleakala National Park this summer in Maui. I was walking with my family along a trail when we stopped and sat down. I framed the picture around my sister as she was looking at the view. I also used Adobe Lightroom to make the picture look more like a painting and emphasize the softer sides of the mountain. 

 

Ryan Podnar is a seventeen-year-old student at North Allegheny Senior High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He uses photography as a way to express himself and convey to others how he sees the world. He can be found walking in nature taking pictures and exploring new themes to write about.

Gondola Ride was taken in Switzerland from the top of a mountain, looking down. I kept the entire scene in focus as I actually really enjoy the sort of “overwhelming” feeling it gives off at a first glance. With so much movement and so many colors, I think that this piece highlights how small man-made creations are compared to their surrounding areas. The clouds and mountains in the back add depth to the scene while the actual gondola guides the viewer’s eyes towards the center of the image. 

 

Ria Parikh is a high school junior from Cincinnati, Ohio who finds enjoyment in the small things. She is an avid traveler, Starbucks addict, and dachshund enthusiast. Currently, she serves as the opinion chief and photo editor of her school newspaper, The Leaf. Ria is also the recipient of three gold keys, two silver keys, and seven honorable mentions from the Scholastic Awards for her journalistic writing, poetry, and photography. She is a Kundiman Youth Fellow as well as a first place Writing for our Roots winner. Ria keeps herself busy after school by volunteering, playing varsity tennis, and pursuing her degree in Indian dance. During her free time, Ria loves to spend time with her friends and family.

 

Life’s Progression, was made with charcoal on paper and touches on the feeling of losing a sense of control over your life and “losing your mind” in the process. The piece is representative of a really hard time I went through personally where I felt very out of place in my life and out of control of the things around me.

 

Kalvin Verner is a high school junior from Kansas City, MO. He has been making art for as long as he can remember. Verner has previously won a Scholastic Honorable Mention for his art and another Honorable Mention award in the Missouri State University Art Competition.

Through depicting myself in the side view mirror- watching, horrified, as the trash floats toward the car- I hope to bring awareness to the effects of global warming and pollution. The words “current pollution levels are more damaging than they appear” and the murky city skyline represent the foreseeable state of our world. While the car drives away from the pollution, it enters the untouched Antarctic realm, symbolizing life and growth. My piece highlights the deprecating impacts of climate damage and initiating change.

 

Ally Chen is an ambitious sophomore student attending a high school in Northern Virginia. She has long been interested in art and has been actively creating pieces since around age five. Although it fluctuates, Ally’s most preferred style is realism! Her passion for art grew throughout the years, especially during the quarantine period of 2020, where she found an abundance of time to take advantage of. During quarantine, she used art as a way to entertain herself and relieve mental stress. She now uses it to help children in healthcare centers through a youth-led nonprofit organization. Aside from art, Ally also enjoys travelling and spending time with family!

 

 

 

Ray Zhang is a junior in high school and he loves to draw. Ray’s works have been featured in Teenink and Bow Seat Ocean Awareness program. In his free time, Ray enjoys illustrating and listening to podcasts.