Roseville is home to multiple different people with amazing talents. Our school acknowledges them and tries to give everyone opportunities to show it. Whether it is singing, band, dance, sports or art, everyone can  take classes to enhance that talent or enter competitions.

          Jessica Near is a senior artist at our school. She has taken many classes where she could use that talent. One of her art teachers, Fiona Rawson, noticed Near’s great talent and decided to enter one of her artworks to the Scholastic Art and Writing awards. Her piece was awarded second place, which is known as the Silver Key award, and received a silver key pin.

          She picked up her award on Monday, Jan. 30, at the Performance Center at Macomb Community College.

        “I was really shocked and excited to win,because together were so many other paintings better than mine,” Near said.

          Near’s piece of art is a silhouette of Eastern Market in Detroit with a clear blue sky and birds soaring in the background. Her painting is based on a photo she took for her senior art seminar. Everyone in that class got a theme to paint and sketch, and hers was the sky.

          Jessica first started drawing in the sixth grade.

“I got into it from my friends, they were all drawing, and that’s when I realized I was good at art,” Near said.

Gallery • 1 Photos

The Scholastic Art and writing awards was Near’s first competition. She really enjoyed and says that she might join another one if the opportunity shows itself. Art is a great way to express yourself, and there are many other ways to do so.