Finding Unity in Art: A Student’s Perspective

Payton, an 8th grader at Indiana Digital Learning School (INDLS), is an aspiring artist and veterinarian. She started at INDLS earlier this school year and has found that the flexibility allows her to devote more time to art and even begin taking commissions.

In this Q&A, Payton shares where she finds inspiration and why INDLS has been the right fit to help her prepare for her future.

What sparked your passion for art?

I began drawing at age 7 but never pursued it passionately until the age of 10 after concluding a school project on internationally famous artists, such as Van Gogh and Picasso. I was inspired by their dedication to their work, and I enjoyed the incorporation of texture they used to make their subjects appear so lively in their viewers’ eyes. I took my hobby more seriously as the days, weeks, months, and years went by, eventually receiving my first commission last year. Attending INDLS made it possible to complete the commission on time because I felt less rushed and more focused.

You recently won the Lions Club Peace Poster Contest for your county. What was that process like?

I entered the Lions Club competition while I was still attending a brick-and-mortar school, competing against not only my classmates but the grades above and below me as well. The theme “Together as One” inspired me to not see it as a competition but rather as a collaboration between my peers, each of us working to create a piece that adequately represented what we wanted it to. I was deemed the Overall Winner and felt great pride for what I had accomplished.

What inspired your poster?

I drew a record player, the record inside of it adorned with flags from various countries and nations, with the peace symbol in the back of the box, and a dove sitting in the center to complete it. Music has united us for centuries, despite the differences from culture to culture, similar to how art has brought even the oldest of our ancestors and those who live in the farthest of lands together.

These connection points were strong for years upon years and have only now begun to fade due to the increase in technological advances such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI can do a lot, but it does lack one thing—a soul. AI does not know what peace is. AI has never experienced humanity in its entirety. AI has never been a child with a paintbrush and a dream like the young artists throughout history. I created my peace poster with tired, human hands and the supplies that were given to me, and I spent weeks on it. It was important to me that peace was drawn by a human hand and spoken about by a human heart.

How do you hope to leverage your interests in your future career?

I’ve always felt a deep connection to animals; in fact, animals were the first things I ever began drawing, hence why I am currently working to start my veterinary career in the next few years. Animals often serve as the inspiration for my drawings. This connection to animals is part of the reason why I centered the dove in my poster, in addition to the fact that the dove is a classic peace symbol.

Animals are something that are incorporated in all history, in all cultures, and in all stories. Each state has its own animal, each Egyptian god has an association with one, and many are deemed sacred or sacrifices in Christian, Muslim, and Greek religious context. Animals to me are beings that are pure and deserve proper care, care that I wish to someday provide by becoming a vet.

How has INDLS helped prepare you for your future?

While attending INDLS, I’ve been able to prepare for a future career working with animals. INDLS has offered me dual credit classes where I can receive college credits early and therefore sooner accomplish my dreams. The teachers are all supportive of me and quick to respond. It is because of them that I will be able to do what I want to do later on in life. It is because of them that I am able to share my aspirations and goals. I am thankful for everyone I have known and everyone who has helped me along my journey.

Learn more about INDLS enrollment options here.

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