Emma Smith, a senior at Ripon High and a current Art III student, finds her greatest form of self-expression through art. When asked if any of her art expresses who she is, she shared how her Halloween drawing of a plague doctor stood out to her. “It was basically just a drawing of one of those plague doctors from the Black Plague,” Smith explained. “It showed my love for dark history.”

Balancing school, life, and art isn’t always simple. “I am not super good at balancing it because school kind of consumes my entire life,” Smith admitted, though she still tries to make time for creativity whenever she can. Art, for her isn’t just an activity to pass the time, but a way to stay grounded. The reward, she says, comes in the feeling of accomplishment that follows finishing a piece you truly love.

Smith also sees art as a lifelong pursuit. “Creativity is kind of all I have,” she explained. “When you choose a profession, you choose something that you love. And so art and just creativity in general, I will definitely want to pursue that more in any way I can.”

She encourages other artists to keep pushing forward, even when the process feels tough. Her advice is simple yet powerful: don’t give up and don’t compare yourself to others. For Emma Smith, art is more than just a class- it’s a reflection of her passions, her history, and the creativity of her hopes to carry into the future.