Lauren Kretch
Lauren Kretch, a senior, has enjoyed photography since junior high, “I got started in junior high, I believe, when I recieved a crappy Sony cybershot for my birthday,” said Kretch.
She has taken art classes at BSM throughout high school, “All of my classes have been in school. I’ve looked at classes outside of school, but I guess I’ve never gone through with them,” said Kretch.
Although she started with digital, she also enjoys film cameras, “I prefer digital because the photos are sharper, but I still love film. Developing film and working in the darkroom are so relaxing, while at the same time you still feel productive,” said Kretch.
Lauren can find inspiration just about anywhere, “I get my inspiration from whatever is going on or where I am. I just like to bring my camera along on preplanned outings” said Kretch.
Photography started out as a hobby but has become a job as Lauren’s talent develops, “Generally I just use pictures for school projects, however I have been paid for a couple things,” said Kretch.
She has enjoyed taking pictures of many different subjects. “I used to focus on abstract photos. I would hunt around for little things people didn’t notice, but that isn’t the case too much anymore. First off I don’t have a macro lense on my digital camera which makes abstract photos tough, but also they aren’t always the most interesting. Now I just take pictures when I go places; like a concert or Chicago,” said Kretch.
Evan Beyer
Recognition is the best form of flattery, and no one knows this better than junior Evan Beyer. “I just started drawing when I was little, and when I made a good picture my parents would put it up on the wall. I like people to see my pictures so I just kept making more and more pictures,” said Beyer. Yet to have any big time recognition, Beyer has had his work featured in smalle scale features such as the art show at the last school he attended that a few of his drawings were shown at. Although wonderfully talented, Beyer does not see drawing becoming a large part of his life: “I would like to continue drawing, but it wouldn’t be the first thing on my list of jobs…it’s just something to do in my free time.”
Christian Rekow
Body contortions, sweating figures, hardcore grit are just some of the images that junior Christian Rekow captures in the subjects of his artwork. Photography is not this young artists specialty, but amazingly lifelike drawings of sports figures. “My mom was an artist when she went to college and when she had me, she was drawing all the time. I didn’t think about it too much,” said Rekow. He lists his mother and BSM’s very own Ms. Main amongst his inspirations. Although his work has never reached fame outside of the halls of BSM, Rekow has plans to pursue his talents after the few short years he is in high school. “I would love to use my art to become a creative designer for a big corporation.”
Zak Matthews
Instead of the average high school pass-times, junior Zak Matthews has taken up quite a unique hobby: the semi-obscure art form of graffiti. Matthews has been graffiti-ing since seventh grade when he taught himself how. Generally using his preferred medium of spray paint, he has done countless pieces, including this year’s Homecoming banner, and also uses other mediums like markers. “I’m usually inspired by other people, namely ‘GZ’ [Gregory Zeman, a fellow junior]” said Matthews. Graffiti’s less structured style, which intimidates some, is what Matthews likes about it: “I like it because there is no right or wrong way to do it, it’s all up to me.”
Thi Hoang
Although art is not a new hobby for junior Thi Hoang, who has been studying art since the first grade, it wasn’t until she won a Silver Key Scholastic Art Award for a painting she submitted last year that she found her passion. “I like to paint a variety of subjects and techniques,” said Hoang, “I am very self motivated – if I have talent, I dedicate myself to it.” She plans on using this dedication in order to further her talents in painting: “I want to develop my abilities into a higher level. I want to be able to create something new.”
Melissa Plooster
Drawing inspiration from famous photgraphers like Richard Avedon, Annie Leibovitz, and Robert Doisneau, Melissa Plooster has overtime become an accomplished photographer herself. “I can really be inspired by anything. I believe photography is about showing something that isn’t normally seen,” said Plooster. Humble about her abilities, Plooster would rather her passion not be considered a talent: “Photography is more about studying and hard work than talent: “figuring out how to work with light and how to present your subject matter.”
