For McKenna Smith, art has been one of the most crucial parts of her experience at John Carroll.

She has taken art classes in all four years of high school and currently is taking AP Studio. She is the president of the National Art Honor Society. As the president of the National Art Honor Society, McKenna has participated in numerous art projects to benefit the John Carroll and Bel Air community and wanted to carry her appreciation of art and community into her Senior Project.
For McKenna’s Senior Project, she will be hosting and teaching an art class where the attendees will learn how to paint. She hopes to “promote creativity” among the students and encourage them to explore their artistic sides.
McKenna is in charge of planning and teaching the class. She will have to decide what the class will be painting and what techniques she will teach to the students. One of the obstacles that McKenna will have to overcome is trying to find something that the students can paint that will cater to all experience levels, without being too difficult or too easy.
The class will be open to all current and prospective members of the John Carroll community, including current students, prospective students, faculty, and staff. The class is sure to be a fun experience for everyone who goes, no matter the extent of their artistic ability.
McKenna said she chose this project as “art has been a large part of my life since I was little, and I wanted to incorporate that into my Senior Project.”
McKenna’s first memories of art involve coloring pages and crayons. “I’ve come a long way from coloring pages to taking AP Studio as a course.”
McKenna’s favorite thing about her growth in her art abilities is being able to see her work improve over time. “Seeing my progress over the years is very rewarding and influences me to try harder and continue cultivating my skill.”
The class will take place at John Carroll in late February with more details to come. The class will be open to all skill levels, and the students will learn to paint something that they can “take home and be proud of.”
McKenna’s main aspiration for this project is for those who attend to “experiment with art in a safe environment where they can explore art in the rest of their lives.”
Senior Autumn Burks is excited to attend the class. “I’m not an artist, but I know McKenna will do a great job inspiring me.”
Although McKenna does not plan on pursuing art as a career, she plans to continue making art because it is a way for her to put her “creative thoughts and feelings on paper.”