an artist
in the
MIDST
CREATING ART WHERE YOU ARE Words by AMY PETERSON
W
hen you’ve lived your whole life surrounded by the same walls, it’s necessary to have an escape plan. For 17-year-old Thea Schermerhorn, that plan involves a pencil, some paper and a big dose of talent. “I like art because it’s kind of an escape for the moment. I can be somewhere else or within the piece as I create it.” Along with two older brothers and an older sister, Schermerhorn has spent her growing-up years discovering what it is that makes her tick. Turns out she has a knack for a variety of things including skateboarding, video games and cars. But one thing that has been there since the beginning is a desire to draw and create with her hands. “Art has intrigued me ever since I can remember. I would draw all the time as a kid and still do now. I would draw anything and usually give what I would create to my mom,” Schermerhorn said. “I love starting with nothing and taking the weirdest idea and ending up with something amazing.” Like many artists, Schermerhorn finds the creative process is best attempted on her own timetable. So when an opportunity came up for her to create a piece at the Second Annual Kiwanis Regional High School Visual Arts Exhibition, which was held during MSUM’s annual Visual and Media Arts workshop day this past January, she wasn’t sure how to start. “For some reason being creative under pressure
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