What do you think of when the words “creative side” or “artistic expression” are presented to you? When people reflect on “creativity,” they immediately jump to the most common mediums: drawing/painting, writing, and at best, they throw in photography. Limiting our definition of creativity with these, while they’re undeniable artistic outlets, causes us to miss out on a brighter world, especially here at Campo.

Even if we extend our imaginations out to more unique styles, what else could we think of? Freshman Renee Shum, an avid crocheter since the fifth grade, spoke about her journey with her own creative process: “I started off by making a lot of stuffed animals, and then I eventually started selling them. I really enjoy it because I get to put my art into the world, and it makes little kids happy.”

When asked about why crochet became her best creative outlet, Shum noted, “It’s kind of a way to translate my thoughts into whatever creature I want to make…It’s a very creative [process] in that crochet is an entire experiment, and I can actually [produce] usable products.”

Creativity isn’t something that’s reflected in a onetime submission or a college essay – as Shum stated, it’s a lifetime passion. Sophomore Josephine Kelly, while talking about her own experience with pottery, agreed. “My aunt is a potter, so we do a lot of art in the family,” she stated. “That’s where my main inspiration came from; I really like how you can make something come to life through the 3-D modeling process.” She then went on to explain how she goes about making pottery: “You have to prep your clay, throw it on the wheel, let it dry, shave it down, fire it, and repeat. It takes a long time, but the build up is the best part of the process.”

Senior Sophie Tang also brought to light the impact her creative expression had on her daily life. “Most of all, I enjoy filmmaking; I make videos, short films, and overall I enjoy videography,” she said. “Filmmaking allows me to express myself through different visual aspects: music, and just combining different art mediums all in one. So every month, I try to come up with new ideas for what to post on my YouTube channel – I typically post a vlog or a short film and write a script.”

Crochet, pottery, film – these are just a few of the types of creative talents that belong to Campo students and everyone else beyond our school. But there are dozens more that can be found in fashion, cooking, dance, and collage-making. Just ask around, and you’ll discover there’s more ways to create than what might initially meet the eye.