As you walk through the halls of the senior high school of Greater Latrobe, administration and the community support for the arts is strong. Paintings from all over Western Pennsylvania, along with numerous artists of an array of styles. These works of art are hung proudly across the walls of our high school. However, there is not just the professional works of art displayed for on-lookers to see. Once leaving the Commons Area and entering the F-Hallway, a plethora of artwork is strictly done by students. Whether it is hand sculpted or oil painted, these works of art are designed and perfected by the students of Greater Latrobe. 

Senior Mckenna Redish is currently enrolled in the advanced art course Portfolio Prep, in which the base of the class is to take creativity to the next level. She has just finished working on one of her end of the semester projects which is based around the field of anatomy, and incorporating this into an artistic route. In a gallery above you are able to see Mckenna’s final project titled, “Anatomy in Flowers”.

Gallery • 8 Photos

Her thought process of her semester project was interesting.

“I wanted to take Portfolio Prep since sophomore year when I took 2D/3D and heard some seniors talking about how they can choose any medium they wanted,” Redish said. “The process of the course projects is extremely different from any other art class I had enrolled into in the past.”

Other courses Redish has been enrolled in includes the following:

• 2D/3D
• Expressive Art Mentor
• Ceramics 1 & 2
• Intro to Sculpture
• Art Exploration

Greater Latrobe offers a diverse buffet of creative courses to all students. But from talking with Mckenna, Portfolio Prep is set apart from the rest. This course is based on your own creativity, and it’s no lie on why it intrigues Latrobe’s most creative and unique students. She decided to take on this idea that dealt with such polar opposites of anatomy and art. 

“Mrs. LeVan gave me that idea in the beginning of the year, but as I dug further into some research, I found a drawing someone did of a skull with flowers coming out alm

ost as a brain,” she explains. “The main reason I chose to do this for my project is because I wanted it to represent something I really enjoy.”

Art and beauty can be found through anything this world has to offer. Mckenna’s explanation of her idea of beauty in something that opens the mind to the possibilities of creating something different and unique. And of course, there must have been struggles throughout this process when creating this series of art. Redish talked about what she found difficult throughout her time spent on her work.

“I wanted to make each piece realistic but at the same time keep my style,” Redish says. “I ended up compromising with the flowers being more in my style when completely finished.”

Mckenna’s take on the beauty within the human body is truly spectacular. Make sure to take a look at “Anatomy in Flowers”, as well as the other works of art students here at the senior high have been creating for this school year!