While her classmates may find more traditional mediums for self-expression, freshman Keilly Kilpatrick reveals her passion through the art of spray painting.

“I started spray painting 1 or 2 years ago, because I really liked custom art, especially on shoes and stuff. Spray paint was kind of a natural transition for that,” said Kilpatrick. Always looking for new opportunities, Kilpatrick covers surfaces from fences and benches to pairs of shoes with paint.

Kilpatrick said that spray painting is different in comparison to other forms of art, as “you’re allowed to make more mistakes cause with spray paint, it’s a lot more of a broader brush than painting is,” and because traditional painting “involves a lot of detail” compared to spray painting. 

The practice has offered the young artist a unique opportunity to step back from the stressors of the rest of her day. “My art calms me. It really does, actually, because I like doing it and just sitting there and being able to calm myself down,” said Kilpatrick.

However, Kilpatrick noted that spray painting comes with challenges. “It can get hard to do detail work, because it’s kind of a bigger thing. Also, it’s not something you can always do. You need a bigger space and permission, versus someone who draws can just do it all the time,” said Kilpatrick.

Kilpatrick is a model to her peers. Freshman Molly Breznikar was inspired by Kilpatrick to continue pursuing her own artwork. “I’ve been kind of doing [art] for a long time, but seeing Keilly do it has really made me push myself more,” said Breznikar. 

“She’s so creative, it makes me want to be creative too. It’s really inspired me to make more art,” Breznikar added.

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