Art is a form of creative expression for many, but senior Payton Stalter takes it to the next level in unparalleled ways. The individualistic nature of art often makes it a hard subject in which to collaborate, but Stalter has shown time and time again that a community connection is more than possible.
Stalter has been involved with art for as long as she can remember, starting with coloring books and art camps as a child. She explained, “Art is a way to express myself and escape from the stresses of everyday life.” Stalter’s art is an extension of herself; her pieces depict not only her interests, but also the things she cannot express with just words. She feels her style can vary, but she tends to lean towards realism. It is her favorite style to draw because she “loves watching the drawing come to life.” With her art, Stalter aims to capture the small details of life otherwise ignored or unappreciated.
Stalter has been selected for the All-County Art Exhibit for four years, and she is a continuing member of the National Art Honor Society (NAHS) since sophomore year. Stalter now serves as president of NAHS, an achievement that displays her immense dedication and skill as an artist. Stalter has also connected the art community in LHS through her work on the banner for Class Night. She described seeing the banner hung up as being her favorite memory relating to art, as it was an incredible experience to see all the hard work under the spotlights during the final performance.
Someone Stalter credited for her success is her Drawing and Painting II and Senior Portfolio Preparation teacher, Tom Sena. He expressed, “Payton is a natural leader and a student that other students and peers look up to and go to for advice in the art room.” He further elaborated on how her leadership qualities have been a major asset that helped her in being selected as this year’s NAHS president. Another reason Stalter has excelled is simply due to her immense love for art. Sena noted, “Payton is very passionate about her artwork and has great focus when she is working on a piece.”
Even though Sena has always noted Stalter’s work ethic, he was most impressed by her growth in willingness to explore new techniques and materials. For this year in Portfolio Prep, he loved how “…she took advantage of the space in the room and decided to work large on our ‘art wall’ in Room 202.” Sena explained that it was the first time Stalter was able to work on a larger scale than she was used to, and she “immediately jumped at the chance.” Stalter already has immense skill, but perhaps more impressive is her ability to constantly learn and adapt new elements in her art.
Another person Stalter credits is her junior year AP Drawing class teacher and seventh grade girls lacrosse coach, Michael Kunz. He expressed that “her work ethic is second to none” and explained how it has allowed her to effectively manage time spent on extracurriculars while also creating top level works of art. Kunz added that Stalter’s versatility in art–whether it be different techniques or mediums–is a highlight of her artistic ability. He noted that no matter what style it was, Stalter was always able to perform well while quickly creating high quality works.
The two featured drawings on this page are submissions of Stalter’s AP Art Portfolio, where she scored an impressive 5. The title of her portfolio was “Morning Moments: The Art of Awakening,” and she wanted to capture the “mundane, overlooked moments of the average morning routine.” The first featured painting is particularly special, as it was her All County piece for last year. The work was created on an illustration board with a monochromatic blue underpainting and rendered over in acrylic paints. It is one of her favorites, and Kunz credits the color palette and unique painting style that allowed her to create realistic and detailed textures on the blanket.
After high school, Stalter plans to study advertising and art design in college. Kunz explained that although he is unsure of where she will end up, he is excited to see what her future holds. In addition to the two aforementioned teachers, Stalter also thanks her art teachers Vincent Lentini and Jennifer Turner, along with her parents, for always supporting her. Stalter’s dedication, passion, work ethic, and time management skills are admired and appreciated by many.
