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The 2007 Graduates
Nantucket High School Music Department head Barbara Elder also credited the greater Nantucket community's interest in the arts for the influx. "I feel, because the students grow up in a community where the arts are valued, it makes them feel comfortable participating in the arts and it makes them feel validated when they want to study them." NHA art instructor Beth Morris agreed. "For one thing, for a small public school, we offer both a strong music program and a strong art program. Also the community really supports the arts, which of course goes hand-in-hand with our school support. We see it with the Artists' Association of Nantucket's Junior Show and the Rebecca Sayre memorial fundraiser. Another thing is that there are so many successful artists here that most kids know someone who is a successful, professional artist, and that lifestyle is admired and rewarded here not scoffed at. The parents are supportive when the kids choose the arts as their field." Many of the graduating artists have parents who work or play as artists - like Geddes Paulsen (son of artist Joanna Kane), Josef Kardell (son of musician Diane Lehman) and Adrienne Costakes (daughter of musician Andrew Costakes and visual artist Stacy Fusaro, who met at an arts college.) Others - like musician Kerry Fee (headed off to Berklee College of Music), who bonded with her dad, John, over classic rock albums and concerts - are the first in their families to pursue an art seriously. "We are in a good place, as you can see by the number of kids who thrive in our art and music programs," Morris said. "As long as that is acknowledged and respected, and the school continues to support the arts both financially and philosophically as they have, I think we are in good shape." And that means the kids are in good shape. Leone had the opportunity to talk with a former art student who went on to do "major ad campaigns." "I said, 'You had the talent. What did I ever give you?'" Leone remembered. "And he said, 'You never said no to me. You made me think through my problems, because you never said, This is dumb, it won't work. You said Try it." I Rob Smith Chester College of New England What are your plans for next year? I will be attending Chester College of New England with a focus on Photography and Media Arts. I also plan on utilizing other mediums to increase my artistic output. What do you want to be doing in 10 years? 10 years? Who knows? Who do you admire, artistically? There are too many people to be listed here, but to name a few: Mike Patton, Nick Gurewich, Harmony Korine, Michel Gondry, Larry Clark, the Keller brothers, James Lewis, Morgan Sutherland, Schuyler Sheppard, David Van Vorst, Zak MacKay What artistic achievement makes you most proud, so far? I printed a picture for my friend's family, and his sister loved it so much that she asked for her own print. That made me feel pretty proud. Spencer Carl Savannah College of Art & Design What are your plans for next year? I plan to go down to Savannah College of Art and Design to study Sound Design and Jewelry. What do you want to be doing in 10 years? Hopefully, in a couple of years I will be part of the music industry - maybe in production, editing and engineering musical CDs or putting on live performances. Who do you admire, artistically? It's mostly musical artists, such as Trent Rezner or Syd Barrett. What artistic achievement makes you most proud, so far? Probably getting accepted to and attending an art college. Nicole Michetti Savannah College of Art What are your plans for next year? I plan on deferring a semester at SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design). For the time being, I plan on hopefully having a well-paid job and being able to earn some of my own money to pay for college. I also have a job lined up in Boston, where I will be an assistant for a woman I met during the summer of 2006 while in a modeling and acting agent program held in New York. What do you want to be doing in 10 years? In 10 years, I hope to have a steady job in either photography/advertisement or some sort of area of planning and designing events. I also hope that I will be known to people for my photography, it's one of my great passions. Who do you admire, artistically? Not one particular artist. I admire the works of the students in my classes. I believe our high school is very strong in the areas of art and music. What artistic achievement makes you most proud, so far? My proudest artistic achievement so far is winning second place in the Nantucket Artist Association's contest, in which I entered my fashion photography portfolio. The people I used in the pictures are my two best friends. I was lucky to have such beautiful and fun girls to work with. I have come to see that photography is a great way to express yourself. David VanVorst, Ithaca College What are your plans for next year? I have been accepted to Ithaca College where I plan to study music performance and ecological science. My instrument is the Electric Bass, and I have full assurance that I can mold this instrument into my major. What do you want to be doing in 10 years? Within 10 years, I'll be at the probable peak of my youth, and I plan to be playing professionally. At this time, there will have been a shift in the consumption and distribution of music, and the era of the live show will return. My musical generation is at the forefront of this shift, and it is my goal to be a part of it, and enliven music that has been lost to the digital desert of online consumption. Who do you admire, artistically? Artists who I hold in high esteem: Michael Manring, Jaco Pastorius, Edgar Meyer, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Frank Zappa, Rachmaninoff, Bach, Glenn Gould, James Jamerson, Bela Fleck, Tim Alexander, Zakir Hussein, Ravi Shankar, Gerardo Nunez. ... The list grows longer as I listen. Each of these artists strike me as incredibly focused individuals who genuinely care about their art and the manner with which they convey it. "Music is a means to an end, and that end is expression." - Michael Manring What artistic achievement makes you most proud, so far? The creation of my own instrument has been the most meaningful. For the past school year, I have been constructing an electric bass of my own design and proportion. The process has been set within the bounds of scholastic deadlines; however, the work has been a much more meaningful and fulfilling experience. This instrument is symbolic of my passion for creation and music and of my dedication to my instrument. This bass is an extension of me, and my playing it is a reflection of all the work and time spent in its creation, and my own diligent mastery of the instrument. Dean Renner, Culinary Institute Of America What are your plans for next year? In the fall, I am attending the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. I will be learning and practicing the professional skills used in food preparation and service. What do you want to be doing in 10 years? I hope in 10 years to be traveling the world with a really ritch family, preparing their meals, while saving my money. Who do you admire, artistically? I really admire Alton Brown. I like his style, and the way he is able to explain everything that is going on while cooking. I also look up to Duff Goldman, because he is able to make some really crazy looking cakes. What artistic achievement makes you most proud, so far? Being given the chance to cook in some local fundraisers, like the Food Pantry dinner. Lindsey Goodwin, New England School of Art & Design What are your plans for next year? I will be in Boston next fall to continue my studies in the field of art at the New England School of Art and Design at Suffolk. While I am attending Suffolk with an undecided major, I hope to figure out what it is I'd really enjoy doing for, possibly, the rest of my life. What do you want to be doing in 10 years? I strongly hope my future includes art. It's hard to say where I think I will be because it helps to know people in the business in order to make it, and I am just now getting opportunities that greatly benefit the recognition of my art and getting my name out there. Who do you admire, artistically? Really any artist inspires me. I find that art can be more expressive than words at times. It is amazing to see the different products people create. It's most inspiring for me being in class with such talented peers. Seeing people my age, Geddes Paulsen or Kevin Stanton for example, making these awesome works of art - it's so much fun. With such opposite styles, they both create stunningly eerie, yet almost comical, pieces. What artistic achievement makes you most proud? Being able to donate to Pam Pindell's charity as well as being complimented at all for my art. It's always nice to know someone else likes something that you did. It's encouraging when people believe you have a talent, something that you really enjoy. Knowing people that I have never met before saw my name on my pieces of art and liked my pieces is just a great feeling. Josef Kardell Washington D.C. to teach/ Boston Conservatory What are your plans for next year? I'm deferring form Boston Conservatory to live in D.C with my friends and brother, play in a band and teach music to kids. What do you want to be doing in 10 years? I want to be wearing a dark, long-sleeved button up shirt, teaching college kids music. I want to already have done the band thing and moved on to my personal music and goals ... which might include writing poetry. Words. Thoughts. I have a lot going on upstairs, and I want to be doing something to help me sort it all out. Who do you admire, artistically? My family. Also some classical composers from the Romantic period. And a lot of jazz musicians, like Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk. What artistic achievement makes you most proud, so far? Probably my CD. Kerry Fee Berklee College of Music What are your plans for next year? After long debate, I will be attending Berklee College of Music in Boston in the fall. I am very, very excited to be completely immersed in the musical environment. I will learn a great deal. What do you want to be doing in 10 years? In 10 years, I would like to have graduated with a degree in music performance, with a minor in music business or production and engineering. I want to enter the business as soon as possible, preferably as a performer, but if not, as a promoter or producer. I want to make my own music, meet influential, talented individuals, and broaden my horizons through music. I want to use music as my creative outlet and travel the world, one way or another, exposing my music to others. Who do you admire, artistically? Well, there are far, far, far too many to mention. First off, I love the Allman Brothers band. Derek Trucks is a virtuoso. They are a group of amazing talent, and have done it all and seen it all. I also admire Derek Truck's wife, Susan Tedeschi. She is a good guitar player, and I absolutely love her voice. Quite a pioneer, and I admire her style and try to imitate it vocally on occasion. And of course there are all those jazz musicians. From Miles Davis to John Coltrane, Horace Silver, Charlie Mingus, Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery, Duke Ellington. They are geniuses, in my opinion - reinventing music the way they did. I also love the blues - BB King and Robert Johnson, and all the other greats. Classic rock, Blues rock, soul, funk, jazz ... There is so much! What artistic achievement makes you most proud, so far? I think, thus far, my proudest achievement was not Junior Miss (ha ha), but my exhibitions project in school. This year, I learned how to work Pro Tools recording program by myself, and began to write, compose and record my own material. I have five songs on this CD, all original, and I am very proud of it. I tried to mix up musical styles and create my own effect. Each song, I think, is successfully very different from the other. Kelsey Day, fashion internship in Italy Your plans for next year? I'm moving to Florence, Italy, to do a fashion internship through World Endeavors for six months. What do you want to be doing in 10 years? I just want to be happy and working in the field of fashion, making progress, meeting important people in the field and becoming one. Who do you admire, artistically? I think artists in general are cool. I don't admire one. I like it when the artistic side comes out of anyone. What artistic achievement makes you most proud, so far? Going to Italy - getting accepted into this program. Other than that, my friend is a photographer; I modeled for her and she won second place at the Artists' Association Student show. It was nice to know I was a part of that. Adrienne Costakes, New England Institute Of Art What are your plans for next year? I plan on attending the New England Institute of Art in the fall. I am excited to start a new chapter in my life and experience living somewhere new and different. What do you want to be doing in 10 years? In 10 years, I hope to have graduated college and be a professional photographer. I also hope to do some traveling. Who do you admire, artistically? Ansel Adams, Annie Leibovitz and David Plowden. What artistic achievement makes you most proud, so far? My proudest artistic achievement would have to be a photograph I took of a graveyard. I was inspired to photograph this particular scene by the haunting beauty I saw and also the intriguing style of the old fence in front of the gravestones. I felt that in the scene there was a story to be told of the life of the person whose name was on that gravestone. I used black and white film and carefully considered the contrast between the fence, the graves and the trees, to achieve an almost antique looking photograph, which I felt most fitting of the theme I saw. I am proud of this piece since graveyards are not something that are usually photographed; most people think they are mournful, but I feel that they are mysterious and different. The photograph came out well. I feel that I captured the moment to the best of my ability. Brian Coffin, Ithaca College What are your plans for next year? I am going to attend Ithaca College in Ithaca N.Y. I plan on studying music and art but mainly music. I'm not sure what field of music I want to go into yet but plan on figuring that out in the next couple of years. What do you want to be doing in 10 years? I hope to still be studying, not in school necessarily but studying in one way or another. I also hope to be traveling as much as possible after college to continue my studies. Who do you admire, artistically? I look up to a musician named John Butler. He is from Australia and I admire him because he is an amazing guitarist, vocalist and composer. He performs songs that are a combination of funk and acoustic rock. In the visual arts, there is a photographer named Nick Brandt who has a set of pictures from Western Africa, beautiful pictures, that I really admire. What artistic achievement makes you most proud, so far? Making a silkscreen and photograph that was put into the student art show this year. I would have never expected to produce something that would be able to be put into a gallery. The silkscreen that was put into the art show also sold after the art show to benefit the Rebecca Sayre Fund, and I am also very proud of that as well. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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