Im Vorapharuek – Dance

What form of art are you involved in and why did you get involved?

I started dancing when I was young because my mom registered me for dance as an extracurricular activity after school, but now I have continued this art form because of my passion for it.

How long have you been involved in this art?

I started dancing when I was in first grade.

What piece of art are you most proud of?

A piece of art I created that I am most proud of is my solo “Intersection” which I choreographed and performed last year. After having completed this choreography I felt accomplished to have completed a piece that portrays myself as a dancer. Through the process of creating my dance I was able to discover my own choreographic style and qualities of movement that represent me, which I can build up on in the future.

What style of dance do you enjoy the most?

I enjoy contemporary dance the most because I feel that this style allows the most creativity and freedom; in which movements are not restricted to certain qualities and choreography can be based on any concept.

Rigel Blatt – Drama

What form of art are you involved in and why did you get involved?

I’m involved in acting in theatre and in film. I love acting because I love telling stories and inspiring people, and it lets me experience another person’s story, but at the same time, still be in touch with myself.

How long have you been involved in this art?

I wanted to be an actor since 6th Grade, and I started creating short videos when I was in middle school. I got on stage at the beginning of 10th Grade.

What piece of art are you most proud of?

I’m really proud of my performance in the original piece for IASAS CC 2014’s “Carbon Copy”, because I felt like it was one of my best performances onstage, and I feel like my performance defined my character’s identity because he was an original character in an original story.

What was your favorite drama production? Why?
Favorite production I have seen? The Book Of Mormon, hands down. It was outright hilarious and very smart. Favorite production I have been a part of? Carbon Copy, because I feel like I defined my character. I plan on being a part of many more productions ahead, both film and theatre!

 Note Kaewbaidhoon – Film/Photography

What form of art are you involved in and why did you get involved?

I am interested in many forms of Visual Arts. During High School, I decided to take advantage of the course diversity to try to expand my knowledge into the performing arts, so I spent a few years in dance and drama. However, as of now, I am focused primarily on Film and Photography.

How long have you been involved in this art?

As a child, I always loved stories and my dream is to become a storyteller as well. I had been involved in arts ever since I could remember. At the age of around 2-3, I remember sneaking down from sleep time to draw in the middle of the night. Around 6th grade, I started making my first short film, and from there, film and photography had always been my favorite medium for storytelling while incorporating different art mediums like makeup, writing, and props design to help make the storytelling experience more memorable.

What piece of art are you most proud of?

My proudest piece of art at the moment is my “Monophobic War” photo shoot I did with Chloe Griffith as the model. This photo shoot was inspired by war. But unlike most modern films that glorify war and produce overly heroic characters such as Rambo, this realist shoot attempts to capture the horrifying aspect of war. In fact, this show was inspired by Dwight D. Eisenhower’s quote: “I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity.”

Monophobia is phobia of isolation; a morbid fear of being egotistical, or a dread of being alone or isolated.

War: a conflict carried on by force of arms.

I named this photo shoot “Monophobic War” because the main intention of this photo shoot is to hyperbolically express fear and loneliness some soldiers have when they go to war. It is true that war is not fought alone, but the feeling of fear and loneliness still exists within each individual themselves.

I decided to make my subject a girl because I wanted to hyperbolically express the fragile and lonely side of soldiers in war. Not only did war wipe out millions of people, but it also scarred their souls for the rest of their lives.

What messages do you like to convey through your film and photography?

Every single one of my film and photography helps to identify my inner identity, beliefs, and emotions. I love linking stories to historical context, both the emotional side and the factual side, through symbols in my lighting, character, and props. My films usually convey and emphasize relatable themes and experiences: trust, fears, growing up, love, and friendship.

Marsha Niemeijer – Visual Arts

What form of art are you involved in and why did you get involved?

I’m involved in a few forms of art, but I mainly draw and paint a whole lot. I actually can’t remember a time I wasn’t drawing and creating visual artwork, so I guess I can’t exactly say why I got involved in the beginning. I can tell you, though, that the reason I still do it is because I genuinely love expressing myself through art. It’s even cooler now because I’m finding out that other people also enjoy what I do.

How long have you been involved in this art?

Sixteen years. Literally all my life. Not planning to stop anytime soon, either!

What piece of art are you most proud of?

I think it has to be the nail board I worked on for a private art gallery last year. It was out of my comfort zone a little; that was my first time doing a serious project that wasn’t drawing or painting. I worked on the board for around three months, hammered over 800 nails on to the board, and probably used enough thread to wrap around my body several times. The people at the gallery really liked it, too, which was pretty cool.

What form of visual arts are you most passionate about? Why?

I’ve always loved my cartooning and fan art. I know it sounds nerdy, but I feel like I owe my pencil cartoons and characters a little – it was the first thing that really made me consider taking my art seriously. It’s the one thing that I always come back to because I feel most comfortable and happiest doing it. I also feel like I can tell stories and, in a way, give a bit of life to the characters I draw. People also seem to enjoy my cartoons – and I love being able to share what I like to do with people who enjoy them.

Sebastian Weir – Music

What form of art are you involved in and why did you get involved?

I am involved in music. I remember it being offered to me so I thought that I would try it out. Music class was always my favorite class and that love for music developed as I began taking lessons and playing the drums more.

 How long have you been involved in this art?

Well I started taking music classes at the beginning of elementary school, but I started focusing on the drums around 5th grade. This is when my musical development actually began.

 What piece of art (music) are you most proud of?

I am most proud of my band. We’ve played good shows and bad shows, but we always have fun. For the general record, we’ve done quite well. The last show we played was at NIST and we had so much crowd participation, and everyone was having a good time, that it was probably our best concert. The songs we played there are definitely my most proud pieces.

 What’s your favorite benefit of playing your instruments?

My favorite benefit is the enjoyment and stress release I get from it. I believe it helps me relax and I think I’m a more relaxed person because of it.

By Ellen Sypolt (11)