“I just really like nature,” says wildlife photographer Mason Ruhfel (‘27), “I have a big passion for birds specifically, and I like to be able to capture their beauty in a frame.”
Skyline High School is home to many student artists – each sharing their inner worlds through various different mediums. Whether it’s animating or producing music, Skyline’s artists are always up to something creative.
“I draw a lot of scary things because it’s just interesting,” says visual artist Chiara Ciricola (‘27). Working both traditionally and digitally, they draw and paint portraits in their free time, splitting evenly between the two mediums. “When you’re [drawing] traditionally, you can really direct how you think,” says Ciricola, “but digital is sometimes just different.”
While some students create art with a mix of both physical and digital mediums, others prefer to stick to digital tools.
“I use Adobe Animate,” says Daniel Fettig (‘26), a two dimensional and frame by frame animator. “I’ll animate for school projects, animate funny situations in my life, or I’ll animate things from games.”
The opposite is also true – some artists work entirely physically.
“I make chainmail jewelry, pieces like bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and wallet chains,” says Cole Zellers (‘27). “They’re made completely with rings of wire weaved together in various patterns.”
Visual arts are not the only way students are expressing themselves at Skyline.
“I make music,” says producer Calvin Marroni (‘29). “Sometimes I’ll make really hardcore, awesome music, and other times I like making jazzy fun pieces.” Music isn’t the only auditory art Marroni creates. “I do sound design, so I make unique synths that you usually hear in most songs.”
Inspiration:
Skyline’s students draw inspiration from many different sources.
“I have a pretty big fascination with world building, and also just making things,” says Fettig. “I think that in a weird way, animation combines those two things perfectly.”
“I make my art simply because it’s a lot of fun,” says Marroni. “I also am inspired by some creators. I’m a huge fan of an artist called METAROOM.”
“I started chainmail because I have an interest in medieval armor, as well as jewelry in general,” says Zellers.
Artists at Skyline are putting their work out into the world.
Marroni releases music on their SoundCloud under the alias “Abstractly”.
Zellers attends art fairs around the state, having had work shown anywhere from Charlevoix to Dexter. Ruhfel, Ciracola, and Fettig post some of their work on Instagram.
Skyline’s artists say getting started is not as hard as you might think.
“I would like to say, if you want to make music or do absolutely anything, start now. Don’t wait and don’t find excuses,” says Marroni. “I’ve been doing music for over a year and I still have a lot to learn, but I’ve already made it so far. Start now, explore new things, ask questions, and most importantly have fun.”
