Date: Fri 21-Jun-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Illustration: C

Location: A-12

Quick Words:

NHS-art-grads-SCAN-scholarship

Full Text:

(feature on NHS art grads Julie Greene, Kevin Walker, 6/21/96)

A Pair of NHS Artists Are Already Drawing Some Attention

(with photos)

By Shannon Hicks

For as long as Julie Green can remember, her mom was always providing creative

opportunities and projects at home as she was growing up. Whether it was

cutting cookies or giving Julie tissue paper for leaf rubbings, Carolyn Greene

always fostered a creative imagination in her daughter.

As Julie prepares to head off to Rhode Island School of Design for her first

year of college this fall, it was her mother's productive upbringing that has

Julie looking forward to studies in fashion design, a very competitive - and

creative - field.

"She always had neat projects for us," Julie recalled recently.

In fact, the 18-year old Newtown High School senior was chosen as co-recipient

of this year's NHS art department scholarship and co-recipient of a

scholarship bestowed annually by the Society of Creative Arts of Newtown.

Julie is sharing these scholarships with her friend Kevin Walker, another

graduating NHS senior who will begin classes at RISD in the fall.

"I've been drawing since I can remember," Kevin says. He and Julie sat down

one recent afternoon amid the hustle and bustle of other art students in the

high school's art room to discuss their futures. While each is looking forward

to a break in studies for the summer vacation, both are eagerly looking

forward to the fall, when they will be off to Rhode Island to begin the next

stage of their lives.

Julie's interest these days may be in fashion design, but she has an open mind

when it comes to her scholastic - and career - future. She loves fashion, but

says she is interested in art in general.

"Who knows," she says, "when I get to college, it [may] change. Once I get

there I might see, and try, another area that I haven't been exposed to in

high school." Julie is entering Rhode Island School of Design planning to

major in fashion design, but admits that may change down the road.

"What would change my mind," she says, "will be freshman year, during the

foundation program."

Last summer Julie was already working on her educational foundation, taking a

class at the Wooster Community Art Center in Danbury. And last fall, she

participated in a mentorship program through NHS where she worked closely with

a fashion designer in New York City.

"If you asked right now, I'd say fashion design," Julie surmised. "I had [the

mentorship program], so I was exposed a little bit to that. But I don't know

if I'd want to become part of that.

"What I saw of it, at least... made me question whether it was what I want to

do. But if you asked me now, I'd say fashion design."

"I guess I've always known that I was interested in art, and it was sort of an

evolution once I got into high school," painter-illustrator Kevin Walker says.

The son of Jeanne and Jim Walker, Kevin leaves the oil paints at home these

days, preferring instead to concentrate on his acrylic works while at school.

But the world of art and its creative environ is no stranger to this 18-year

old.

Drawing lessons at artists' studios in Monroe and Bridgeport began years ago.

Before entering high school in the fall of 1992, Kevin stuck to drawing, but

once he became an NHS freshman he picked up a paint brush and never put it

back down. Classroom assignments were his introduction to painting, which he

also has followed up with classes at the Wooster Center in Danbury.

"In terms of media I'd have to say, since I've been in high school, I've used

everything, from sculpture and clay to paint, drawing... my favorite is

definitely painting, in acrylic," Kevin says.

Last summer, Kevin participated in the Marie Walsh Sharpe Summer Seminar

Session in Colorado Springs, CO. For two intensive weeks, twenty students were

instructed by a pair of artist-instructors, one of whom was Redding artist

James Grashow, who subsequently introduced Kevin to Newtown artist Robert

Cottingham.

Kevin has gained some hands-on experience from both men, having worked in both

artists' studios. Both wrote recommendations for Kevin's college admissions

applications, in fact.

Unlike Julie, Kevin is going to college undecided on his major. He hopes to

get into a career in the fine arts after college.

"I don't want to specify painting," he said. "I just want to go into fine

arts. Who knows, in four years I could be making films."

At the scholarship/awards assembly at NHS on May 30, Kevin was presented with

the SCAN and NHS scholarships, and also the Michael DeFrance Memorial

Scholarship. The first time this award has been bestowed, it was set up by the

late Michael DeFrance's parents in memory of their son, to be presented to a

student on the premise of independent spirit.

"I felt really honored... it meant a lot," Kevin said, of learning of the

honor. He has also received a partial scholarship from RISD.

SCAN presented its first scholarship to a student 15 years ago. Before the

Newtown-based group will even consider an application, a student must have

been accepted into and plan to attend an art school, "which isn't an easy feat

sometimes," Ruth Newquist said last week. Mrs Newquist and her husband, Larry

Newquist, founder and director of SCAN, were two of the five practicing

artists who comprised the board which chose this year's SCAN scholarship

recipients.

Requirements for the SCAN scholarship call for each student to submit a

portfolio of their work. Directors look for creativeness, technical ability -

how well each student handles his or her medium of choice - and future

expectations. On a rainy Saturday morning in early May, the SCAN board met

with this year's scholarship applicants.

"Kevin's drawing is exceptional, as I remember," Mr Newquist offered. "He also

had a lot of creative, emotional paintings," his wife added." Many of his

paintings are based on his own life experiences, which make them very

powerful. You can really see the emotion in his pieces. His works are really

unique.

"And Julie had some beautiful drawings," Mrs Newquist continued. "Her works

are well beyond what you would expect of a high school student.

"We were very impressed by [Julie and Kevin.]"