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Meet Kyra. Kyra is 16 years old. She took two buses on her two-hour commute from her home in Hartwell, Cincinnati, to her ArtWorks job last summer in Sayler Park. Kyra is a sophomore at Withrow University High School. She apprenticed on "A Day in the Life of Sayler Park", led by Evan Hildebrandt and Alison Shepard. Kyra is outgoing, well-spoken, positive, and talented to boot- exactly the kind of person we want to hire.
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We caught up with Kyra a year after her apprenticeship to talk about the impact of the program on her life and to find out what she’s up to these days.
Q: How did you learn about ArtWorks?
A: I was at school, and took a required art class. Everywhere my teacher had signs that said “Make Art, Get Paid.” Eventually I asked Ms. Williams [my art teacher] about it, and she served as my reference for my application.
Q: What skills did you learn in the program?
A: Evan [Hildebrandt] and Alison [Shepard, Project Managers on Sayler Park Mural] were great managers. I learned about blocking in—putting down base paint, then working on the finer details. After the program, I’m way better as an artist. I also learned a ton of skills from fellow apprentices—painting, anime, cartooning. Many of them had different skills than me, and I hope I taught them something, too.
Q: How did you get started in art?
A: I’m a competitive person. I was always jealous of my sisters’ abilities [with art]. My grandma Rose helped me get started with my art. When I was 13, I sketched a portrait of myself as a kid—just revising and revising. She really helped me believe in my skills.
Q: What was your favorite part of the summer?
A: My favorite part was seeing other kids with the same passion as me. Learning new things was the greatest. Even having your work critiqued, and critiquing others’ work—it makes you better.
Q: What are you up to now?
A: I’m actually starting a mural at my school! I’m in art club here, and I wanted to share what I learned.
Q: Sounds cool! What is the subject?
A: It’s a huge canvas. It’s a big tiger jumping out of flames—it’s really beautiful.
Q: What are up to when you’re not making art?
A: I’m a laid back person. I like puzzles—I really like to do the Rubik’s cube, and things that make my mind bend. I used to be on the track team, but I had to drop all of my extracurriculars to concentrate on my art.
Q: What do you want to do with art in the future?
A: Well, at first I thought art was just a hobby. Evan [Hildebrandt, project manager] really inspired me—he used to be a car salesman, then he dropped it all. I would love to be a forensic sketch artist. I’m really into forensics and CSI, and I want to use the skills that were given to me.
Q: What inspires you?
A: I’m a religious person. I love people, so I love to draw people. I’m trying to broaden my scope—drawing houses, animals. Everything inspires me, though. Nature, trees, it’s fascinating. I just love to draw people though. If you think about it, the majority of people are the same—we have two lips, two eyes, two ears, one nose, one mouth, but we all look different.
Q: What is your favorite thing about ArtWorks?
A: When it’s all said and done, what we’ve done together will be around for years and years and years. People are going to see it for a long time. The artwork is going to last for a legacy! You know, even if we weren’t getting paid, the program is so great because it gives young people like me a guiding light, and a chance to work with people that are doing what we want to do—to see what we’ll be doing in our careers.
Q: It sure is! So, Kyra, what else are you doing these days?
A: I used to be just into drawing, but ArtWorks got me painting. I’ve changed my media to oil pastels, charcoal, and I hope to start doing some sculpting. (That would just be crazy!) I’m still doing portraits. I’m really working on trying to capture as much emotion as I possibly can, because that’s what makes a picture great.
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