An Artist in Fluvanna

What makes an artist? According to Google, an artist is a person who produces paintings or drawings as a profession or hobby. By that definition, senior Sarah Trail is one incredibly talented artist.

The young blonde began her FCHS art career in ninth grade with her current Art III and IV teacher Diane Greenwood. According to Greenwood, Trail is the type of artist who “works slowly,” with an emphasis on the word ‘”slow.” But this is not because she procrastinates—it’s the exact opposite, actually. “She likes to make every detail precise,” Greenwood said. Fellow art teacher Michelle Coleman agreed with this perception, saying that Trail is definitely a “slow worker that likes to work meticulously and make everything perfect for her projects.” Coleman also said that Trail was a pleasure to have in class, and described her as “quirky and very fun to be around.”

Trail, on the other hand, began taking her art seriously in seventh grade, and admitted to wanting to make a career out of it; a goal which Coleman approves of. “She has a lot of potential,” Coleman said.

Trail’s favorite project was one that she did in Art II. It’s a charcoal portrait of a baby. “It turned out really good, and I liked it,” Trail said. She also said that her favorite art style is painting, saying that she loves the way it looks when people blend the colors together. Meanwhile, Greenwood’s favorite pieces of Trail’s are a self-portrait and a tessellation (the tiling of a plane using one or more geometric shapes with no overlaps and no gaps).

When Coleman and Greenwood were asked what art means to them, Coleman responded with, “Anything that’s appealing to the eye that shows some skill.” Greenwood said, “Somebody’s interpretation of the world manifested in some sort of media.” So hopefully, with a bit of luck and a lot of skill, Trail will continue to produce appealing media interpretations of the world in college, where she plans to carry on her art career.