Artist of the Month: Haylee Mottl
Photo from Haylee Mottl.
Teja Lebaka
Charger Press acknowledges various clubs and sports teams that are a part of the Hamilton Community but for the first time in a long time, it’s time to recognize our school’s artists! This month’s ‘Artist of the Month’ is junior Haylee Mottl. “I am a part of Hamilton’s Art Club as well as Hamilton Drama Society. I mostly operate the soundboard and do the sound design but recently I’ve been testing the waters in some other categories,” says Mottl. Haylee has taken many art classes throughout her life as well, always building off of her previous skills. She says that she enjoys drawing and painting as well as smaller arts and crafts. She enjoys spending time with her friends and partner. Haylee’s art usually finds its way into her social life since all of her friends enjoy doing art as well. Some other things that she enjoys doing are reading, writing, and sewing.
Wishing Well by Haylee Mottl. Photo from Haylee Mottl.
She was nominated for ‘Artist of the Month’ by Ms. Strelow and Mr. Malcore who say, “Haylee Mottl is very well deserving of the honor of ‘Artist of the Month.’ Haylee was recently in both Painting and Advanced Ceramics classes where she consistently demonstrated exceptional creativity and a determined work ethic. Haylee’s work embodies both a highly aesthetic look along with a well-thought-out and significant meaning. She enjoys her subject matter and this shines through her in her finished work. Last year Haylee’s Ceramics Wishing Well piece was chosen by Hamilton district administration and staff to be a permanent addition to the FAC.”
We asked Haylee what encouraged her to pursue art to begin with. She responded, “I never really made a choice to join the art program, I have always just seemed to be drawn to it naturally. I would always like to do art projects as a kid so I think my parents knew that I would be continuing this creative path for a long while.” Mr. Malcore and Ms. Strelow voice that Haylee was the right choice for this month’s nomination because her work is outstanding and she is an excellent leader who is constantly pushing fellow classmates to do their best.
Mottl’s piece The Fallen Youth. Photo from Haylee Mottl.
Haylee says that the most challenging part about being an artist is coming up with ideas. As an artist, she says that she is critical of her own work and that it can be a huge obstacle. “Taking a step back and realizing that any idea is a good idea is a big part of improving,” says Haylee. Mottl’s favorite art piece is titled The Fallen Youth.
“The piece makes a statement on physical and mental abuse and is based off of the painting The Fallen Angel. The piece includes some parts that can only be seen under a blacklight which packs a bigger punch on the overall meaning. I feel like I created so much emotion in this piece and I love it so much,” says Hayley. Her teachers say that Haylee really developed her own style during the course of the painting class. “I could see her work not only improving in technique but also in how she used her mediums to further portray her message or idea,” voices Mr. Malcore.
Ms. Strelow adds, “During ceramics, Haylee was always willing to think outside of the box and come up with unique ways to problem solve the assignment. She experimented with color and technique in ways her peers didn’t think to try, which always made her work stand out.”
Mottl was inspired to take more art classes because she has always wanted to improve her work. “Taking art classes has always been a way for me to exercise my creativity and practice new skills,” says Haylee. Mottl says that she will be taking AP Art next year and that she is also attempting to do an independent study with one of her art teachers. Haylee’s goal is to grow her skills as much as she can and to put her name out there as an artist. She conveys that she would love to pursue a career in art; however, more realistically, she believes that she will take up a career in writing or editing because she loves being able to create stories that mean something to people and she can do that in both her art and writing.
Hamilton High School offers some amazing opportunities for artists and has a variety of classes available. Ms. Strelow, one of the art teachers at Hamilton, teaches Art Survey, Painting, Ceramics, Advanced Ceramics, and AP 2D Art/Design. “This is a broad spectrum of early exploration of materials, mediums, and styles to very specific 3-D based ceramic hand building and wheel throwing. All classes allow students to express themselves in ways that are meaningful and therapeutic to them. They have the opportunity to further their own styles as well learn new techniques and hopefully create long after these walls,” expresses Ms. Strelow.
Mr. Malcore teaches the Drawing, Painting, and Photo Expressions classes. Malcore says, “These classes all afford students the opportunity to work independently and explore their creative side. I strive to teach students skills and techniques that will help them increase their abilities and then provide projects open to their interpretation to showcase their skills.”
They say that their classes will change the way you think about the world around you. “You will gain a creative perspective and appreciation for everything that surrounds you while building useful real-world skills. You will enjoy your time, build relationships, take risks, and gain new insight and perspectives of the world around you,” comment both teachers.
“Your art is so much better than you think it is, art isn’t about skill or how well you put paint on the page. It’s about what it means to you. If you feel like you conveyed a message in your work, then you are an artist, and if not, then you are still an artist!” says Haylee. “Everyone is an artist if they try.”
