For as long as she can remember, senior Maha Ajmal has proven to be a dedicated and talented artist. After years of hard work and dedication, Ajmal has shown a strong drive and talent, completing many projects and artistic accomplishments over the course of her four years in high school.
Currently enrolled in AP Studio Art and Portfolio, Ajmal has already created a large number of intricate pieces. In AP Studio Art, students must choose a theme for the works they create throughout the year in order to submit this in May. Ajmal’s theme for her portfolio is “Beneath the Smile.” “It is about emotional drainage and high expectations and academic validation,” Ajmal explained. The passionate theme also has a cultural tie to it, bridging cultures and religions of Pakistan and the United States. Ajmal has also achieved numerous honors during her high school years, including serving as vice president of National Art Honor Society and as the managing editor of the art and graphics for Horizon. She was an All-County artist as a ninth grader and has consistently produced detailed works.
Ajmal’s art is widely recognized for its striking quality. Senior Miley Leu, who works with Ajmal in the National Art
Honor Society, said, “Maha is an amazing artist; she has been doing art since high school [and] middle school. She’s grown so much. She has a lot of accomplishments; she was all-county multiple times. She’s amazing.”
Over the years, Ajmal has expanded her artistic style through experimentation and creativity. Art teacher Michael Kunz, who taught Ajmal in Drawing and Painting I and currently teaches her in AP Studio Art, said, “[Maha is an] exceptional technical artist; her strengths are with realism. I’d say medium-wise her strengths are with pencil and charcoal.” Ajmal’s work conveys emotional depth and baggage that many artists struggle to portray. Her style and her AP portfolio theme allow her to incorporate personal elements that add emotional resonance to her pieces.
An important task for all artists is learning how to grow and change, including taking constructive criticism. Kunz said, “Maha has grown a lot since I had her in Drawing in Painting as a ninth grader. I’d say technically she’s improved, but I think she’s improved as well as being able to take and use constructive criticism.”
Ajmal’s art displays the results of hard work and dedication. For four years, Ajmal has produced many distinctive pieces that have been commended by her peers and teachers. Ajmal’s art journey seems to have no bounds.
