Arts

MARY EVELYN KING

Iwill never pass up a moment to step on a stage and just feel that rush of adrenaline,” Mary Evelyn King said. “It’s like a breath of relief because I get to be someone that I’m not for like an hour and a half.”

After seeing her brother on stage in his fifth grade production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, King knew that she was meant to shine. “I turned to my mom and I said, ‘Mommy, I’m going to be the star of my fifth grade play,’” King said. Evidently, her predictions were spot on, as King went on to star in every play and musical that HIES had to offer.

While theatre gives King an opportunity to showcase her talents to the world, it has also become a place for her to be her true self without any judgment. “I definitely laugh the most when I’m in the fine arts building,” King said. “And I think that speaks volumes that that is like a place where I feel safe, a place where I feel at home.”

In sixth grade, King formed a special bond with her scene partner, Julia Durst ‘16. “She was so kind to me when she just didn’t need to be kind to me. And I think that I kind of learned a lot about what it means to be a friend through her and her friends,” King said.

As King closes the curtain on her theatre career at HIES, she leaves the program with a few words of wisdom: “Don’t give up. Once you are done you’ll kind of be able to look back and be proud of what you’ve created during your time here.”

Drew Herman, a senior who’s been at HIES since the 6th grade, expressed his love for 70s classic rock and music altogether. “I’m definitely a classic rock type of guy. I love the Eagles, my favorite band ever. It’s just that I love good guitar,” Herman said. “And that’s where it mainly was back in the 70s.” Herman, a guitarist, discovered his passion for music surprisingly on Instagram. “When I was in 10th grade, I was on Instagram and saw some dude playing guitar,” Herman said, “And I was like, I can do that.”

Ever since Herman came across the guitar video his enjoyment for guitar elevated. Herman started a band with a group of friends. “We call our band Strawberry Hill. It’s definitely been the most fun part of this year, just being able to play in front of all our friends at school,” Herman said. “It’s definitely made this year so more tolerable and fun.”

Although Herman discusses the joy of having a band with his friends, there are some challenges that come with it. Strawberry Hill’s first time playing officially at HIES was a complete disaster. “The first time we played our microphone system exploded. So, we couldn’t sing. I mean, it broke like 10 seconds into while we were playing,” Herman said. “It’s just really tough to get all the technical aspects right. And that stuff is the hardest part.”

Herman is attending the University of Georgia and plans to continue his hobby with a minor towards music.

ARTS

DREW HERMAN

SPENCER PEARSON

Identifying inspiration for art is tough for all artists. Staying motivated is even harder. For Spencer Pearson, art is not only his mode of self-expression and self-discovery but also his medium for grief. This keeps his artwork inspired, fresh, and always coming.

Losing his father his junior year, Pearson has certainly endured hardships. But he has undergone significant personal and emotional development by consequence.

“I take [my father’s story] as a strength… because I finally got to show myself, and I reflect that in my art” Pearson said, “and if I can get over this [grief], then I can get over anything honestly… I don’t have to fear anything anymore”

Three months after his father’s passing, Pearson won State for diving, an accomplishment he says he made in his father’s honor.

“I took foundations of art… that was my first experience with photography” Pearson said. From there, he progressed to greater things. He recently embarked on his AP curriculum, cumulative project.

Pearson enjoys spending time with friends, dabbling with the piano, and diving competitively. As Pearson heads off to warmer weather in Miami for college next year, though he may not be taking photographs for a course nor professionally, we’d bet you’ll see him searching for landmarks and people to capture in image.

While sitting at a Panera Bread a few years ago with her mother, Gaby Diamonon had an epiphany. “I remember imagining what my life would be like if I were to become a fashion designer. My mom said to me, what if you want to get into costume design or fashion design?’”

Growing up in New York City, Diamonon was surrounded by some of the greatest artists and designers the world has to offer. “There were murals everywhere and they always inspired me to paint and be creative and all,” Diamonon said.

Through her adventures around the world, from Hong Kong to Bolivia, Diamonon discovered that art can be an outlet to express her emotions. “It’s been a heavy part of how I’m growing and how I’m sort of pushing back against whatever I’ve suffered,” Diamonon said. It just inspires me to do something that not everyone else can do because it’s so universal. Anything can be considered art as long as you see a meaning to it.”

Diamonon is pursuing her love of art and fashion at Drexel University in Pennsylvania at the Westphal College of Media Arts and Design. “I just can’t wait to see what I become as a designer.”

As Diamonon takes her talents onto another school, she always keeps in mind what art really means to her: “Art allows me to just take a breather and let my brain dive into creativity and just unfold on whatever it wants to do.”

“When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It’s to enjoy each step along the way.”

-Wayne Dyer