Posted by By Julia Demskie, Co-Editor-in-Chief
Whether it be with colorful paintings adorning the walls during this spring’s art show, or the beautiful sound of her flute during third block band rehearsals, senior Laura Hovey has made her mark on the community of New Paltz High School; and it’s made a mark on her, too.
“I think I’m really lucky,” she expresses while reflecting on her four years in the building. “I don’t like school- it’s very stressful- but now that I’m at this point, I look back and I’m… satisfied. I got through it.”
Though she has accomplished many things at NPHS, her time honing her skills in Ms. Pountain’s AP Studio Art class stands out to her as some of her best experiences.
The advanced art class taught Hovey a lot about her own ability as an artist.
“I brought this one painting I did to critique, and I was really proud of it. I was like, ‘You know what? I can paint. Even if my painting’s bad, I can do it.’ I used to say ‘I can’t even paint, I can’t even draw,’ but I can,” she remembers. Having a class that allowed for lots of practice with drawing and painting, she was able to recognize the value of what she creates, no matter what stage it may be in.
Part of the class’s curriculum includes a weekly critique, in which students receive feedback from their peers about the progress they are making on each piece. It is this aspect of the course that makes it so community oriented.
“I don’t know what else I would do if I wasn’t good at art.”
Laura Hovey
“I think the best part of that class was the people in it, because they’re really smart and good at giving advice,” she explains affectionately.
Another factor that makes the students so close is the size of the class; there were only 11 students enrolled this year, making a prime opportunity for a very tight knit group.
Laura has no shortage of close personal relationships like the ones forged in AP Studio Art.
“My brother really inspires me… He seems like he knows what he’s doing. I look up to him a lot, and he’s one of my favorite people in the world,” she says.
This inspiration, as well as that which she finds in visual art, has led to her decision to major in art at SUNY Purchase in the fall. Although she is not certain of her future career, Hovey is confident that studying art is the right path for her, as she uses the medium to make sense of and express her most complex emotions and experiences.
“[I found my passion for art] when I was little, definitely… I have so many sketchbooks of really terrible drawings, but I think when I started getting good at painting at the beginning of this year, it really felt right… I don’t know what else I would do if I wasn’t good at art,” she concludes.
There is no doubt that Laura will continue to flourish, both creatively and personally, as she leaves New Paltz High School and begins the next chapter of her life.
The Maroon 