by Stephanie Burchett
On March 15 and 16, the art and music departments of the York Suburban School District are hosting “A Passport to Creativity,” to showcase talents of students working in the arts. 12th grader Jake Michalski, a local artist in York Suburban High School, shared his excitement about the event. His artwork, while currently well-known around campus, is beginning to branch out into community events.
Michalski said, “A Passport to Creativity” will allow artists and musicians from levels K-12 to showcase their hard work. His watercolor and ink artwork will be on display for the event, and he teases that he “might sell prints”. He currently has two prints for sale for $15 each: “Magnolia and Orange” and “Peony Dissection.”
His paintings will soon also be on display at the Pennsylvania Museum in Harrisburg for a Scholastic event. Subjects of his paintings often include elements from nature. He loves to paint plants, birds, forest and desert animals, and women. “Nature inspires me,” he said, following an explanation of how he adores to paint the feminine form, flowers, and serene environments he finds aesthetically pleasing. His art is sure to be a fan favorite at the event.
Art teacher Karen Fornadel explained further that, “There will be art on display from all six buildings in our district.” Additionally, there will be food and art for sale at the event. “A Passport to Creativity” also welcomes guests to create their own pieces for a community mural during choral and instrumental performances by musically inclined students.
“The art and music departments were looking for a way to join our programs,” Fornadel said, “We loved the idea of bringing younger and older student artists and musicians together to share in and see each others’ artworks and performances.”