Feature

the teen issue

MoMentofyouth 2017

Thanks for grabbing a copy of RN&R’s annual Teen Issue. It’s an edition we look forward to every year, and not just because we don’t have to write it.

The Teen Issue gives us, and you, the chance to get our eyes on the work of talented young artists. This year, we received dozens of art submissions from local high school students—so many, in fact, that it was a difficult task deciding which ones to print.

The art on this week’s cover is from Maleah Milner, a senior at McQueen High School who says her autobiographical photos, which feature Photoshopped cartoon elements, are inspired by the quiet, introspective times experienced by teens on the cusp of adulthood.

One thing I really appreciated about this year’s submissions was the variety of media the artists employed, from chalk pastels to digital painting and sculpture. I was particularly keen on Reed High School senior Topanga Ramirez’s stoneware clay statue. The piece, called “Knowledge,” is featured at bottom right.

McQueen senior Alice Samberg and North Star Online School seniors Rafael Schultz and Alex Toller are student journalists who contributed to the issue. You’ll find their bylines next to the stories they wrote about their schools’ featured artists.

I hope you enjoy this year’s Teen Issue as much as I did, because the work these young artists are turning out is more than just cool—it’s a testament to the importance of arts education and a reminder of the responsibility of adults to preserve it.

Happy Reading!

Jeri Chadwell-Singley RN&R Special Projects Editor

“lost” watercolor, ink, thread madison steiner reno high

“futuristic AbnorMAlity” photo illustration narinder kaur mcqueen high “Knowledge” stoneware clay, toneware clay, homemade barbed wire topanga ramirez reed high

“cold coffee” Photo illustration maleah milner mcqueen high

“late night” Photo illustration maleah milner mcqueen high “BarBer shop” Photo illustration maleah milner mcqueen high

Committing to memory

McQueenseniortriestocapturevanishingadolescenceonfilM

by Alice SAmberg | McQueen High School

Drawing inspiration from life and the people she is surrounded by, McQueen student Maleah Milner takes photos in the hopes of capturing the “here and now.” She wants to preserve the vanishing adolescence in high school students’ lives and the nostalgia and excitement that comes with the future.

As a first-year photography student, Milner had no preconceived idea about the kind of art she wanted to make at the beginning of this school year; however, as the year progressed, she quickly formed a focus and a message she wanted to communicate through her photography.

“I like portraits,” Milner said. “I like people. I think we don’t give enough credit to how interesting individuals are. Even the weird, little, everyday things we do are special if you think about it. The subject I’m examining right now is the end of adolescence and how teenagers, specifically seniors in high school, leave behind things in our childhood that we feel nostalgic towards and enter into adulthood.”

As a senior herself, Milner often finds inspiration in her own life. When she catches herself doing something she finds typical of a 12th grader, or feeling nostalgic toward something all 12th graders have in common, Milner will draw on that as inspiration for her photos.

“It’s at this point in time that the little things we do as high school students—the nights we stay up late doing homework we’d forgotten about or putting on makeup in the car before class—are really small and insignificant but won’t happen as often as we grow up,” she said.

“i think we Don’t give enough CreDit to how interesting inDiviDuals are.”

“TerminaTor dog” Chalk pastel Destin Russell Reno high

“Welcome To insaniTy” Digital painting MaRissa MuloCk MCqueen high

Debut Dreams

HigH scHooljuniorsTrives To TranslaTe arTisTicskillinToafasHioncareer

by Alex Toller | North Star Online School

marissa mulock is a high school junior and an artist. Her favorite part is the creative aspect, because she feels that it lets her express herself in ways that she cannot in real life.

Mulock designs characters inspired by her friends and music. She is quite passionate about drawing all the ideas flowing through her mind whenever she listens to music or converses with a friend. Her aspirations are to get into a prestigious art college and to embark upon a career in the fashion and design industry.

Marissa has always delighted in brainstorming ideas for clothes and designing outfits that fit a certain theme or topic. She does so on a website called “Polyvore.” She dreams of improving her sewing skills, so that one day, she can make her dreams come to fruition.

“Welcome to Insanity” is a digital painting featuring a group portrait of all of her original character designs.

Aside from her artistic passion, Marissa also values her education, particularly the online aspect. What she enjoys the most about online school is its freedom. Online school allows her to work from the comfort of her own home, and at her own pace. In a traditional educational environment, she would often experience excessive stress, due to concerns of falling behind and getting lost, and due to nervousness that had interfered with her willingness to talk with her teachers. However, in online school, she can comfortably remedy any problems she has with her schoolwork by messaging her teachers, who are enthusiastic about helping her however they can. Ω