For NASH senior Natalie Schmitt, art isn’t just about what you create, but also the process of making.

“Everyone should have some link to art,” she said. “I don’t care what that may be, but I think art in any form is a way of seeing and connecting to the world, and without it everything would get pretty, I don’t know how to say it… stale?”

The painting below, done with acrylic paints and markers as well as oil pastels, was inspired by a tree that Natalie saw in North Park.

In Natalie’s eyes, a finished product isn’t just a pretty picture, but it’s also how well the story behind it is captured.  

Getting to work with multiple media is also a great way to show various expressions, which Natalie calls her “favorite way of composing.”

For the collage below, colors can also hold meaning, as well as the use of multiple materials.

“Each section is meant to show a different piece of something in my life,” she shared.  “Red = statue of a fish outside a candy store in Erie that my mother and I love; Orange = Stevie Wonder lyrics from the songs in the Key of Life album, pumpkins for fall (my birthday season), and a pottery pass from Mr. Matthews.”

Other pieces don’t need to have a deep meaning but are more focused on improving skills in regard to a single subject.

“This still-life with my keychains I liked because of the detailed effort needed to get the lighting right, which isn’t perfect, but I enjoyed working on a piece through that kind of perspective,” Natalie said.

In the same way artwork has a way of telling stories, Natalie believes it can also hold connections to the past and timelines that have no start or finish.

“How long have I been doing art? Maybe forever? I couldn’t put a date on it. I started one day and never stopped, I guess,” she said.

Natalie isn’t connected to creativity just by being a long-time artist — she is also the Treasurer of National Art Honor Society.

“We create the room signs you see in the hallways, do the window paintings, and also do murals and other things outside of the school,” she said. “It can be difficult to coordinate at times, and working within the short hours we get after school can be difficult, but the things I enjoy about it outweigh any of my complaints. It is nice to know that we are adding more art to other areas.”

Schmitt’s passion isn’t limited to the art room. It’s something that’s always been connected to her life, and something she hopes to continue with after high school , too. Art is both her whole world and something she wants to add to the world.

“For me, art isn’t something that I would like to just sideline and do when I could get around to it. I would like to have a career that focuses on art.”