Throughout my high school career, many people have impacted my life and helped me grow as a student and as a person. The person who has had the biggest impact on me throughout my first three years of high school is Alexandra LaBarr.
Growing up, I have always loved to draw, paint, color and do any art I could get my hands on. Each year of middle school, I took art classes because I wanted to learn more techniques and learn how to better myself as an artist. I then continued taking art classes throughout high school to help me with my future career: becoming an art teacher.
LaBarr has been an art teacher at Louisa County High School for three years and teaches Foundations of Art I, Ceramics I and II, Commercial Arts I, Independent Study and Advanced Art I and II. I have had her as a teacher for Ceramics I, and she sponsors for the National Art Honors Society (NAHS). I will be taking Ceramics II and Advanced Art I with her next semester as well.
When I first started Ceramics, I was nervous and anxious because it was a new environment for me and I had never worked with clay in depth before. There were also many rules to follow because the slightest mistake could ruin a ceramic. As the weeks went on, I started to grow more comfortable with my surroundings and with the artwork I was creating as a result of LaBarr’s guidance.
Throughout the class period, LaBarr would always walk around the classroom and check on all of her students to make sure they were doing okay with their current projects. She would always walk over to me and give me the encouragement that I needed to hear and give me the tips I needed to help me grow as an artist.
After being in her class, she persuaded me to apply for NAHS so I could be surrounded by other artists and have the opportunity to apply for art scholarships for college. NAHS meets once a week after school and also on club days. Participating in this club has helped me talk with other art students and also help out with art events and festivals.
LaBarr and her fellow art teacher Abigail Young then selected me and one other student to have the opportunity to apply for a Summer Governor’s School Art Program. To apply, I have to submit a portfolio containing ten pieces of my artwork and two twenty-minute videos of me drawing a given prompt. If I get into the program, I will be spending three weeks at Radford University furthering my art skills and who I am as an artist.
Without LaBarr, I would not have joined NAHS. I would not have the opportunity to apply to a college program, and I would not be the artist I am today. I am very proud to say that she has helped me become who I am today as a person and as an artist because without her I would not have the confidence in myself and in my art that I have now.
