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Inspiration can be found in many different places. For some people, it is found in their natural surroundings. For others, it is found in everyday things and events.

    NHS Emily Brooks searches for her muse for her artwork.

     “I find a lot of inspiration through music and also the people around me that matter to me,” Brooks said.

    Brooks has had an interest in art her whole life.

    “I’ve always been interested in drawing and doodling since I was younger, but when I was a freshman, I actually had the resources to start painting,” Brooks said.

    Not only has Brooks gained more resources to paint, but her style of painting has changed as well.

    “Her works have gotten to be more personal. She’s worked in more of what’s going on in her life and kind of her experiences,” NHS art teacher Caroline Hays said.

    Brooks says a painting often begins with a simple thought or feeling.

    “I get the feeling that I want to make something, and then I develop the idea,” Brooks said.  “I usually just doodle all the time, and then sometimes I think it’s cool and want to make it into something more. I start with something generic, and then I keep building it up.”

    Currently, Brooks’s schedule for starting new pieces is much more vigorous than what it would normally be.

    “This year I start a new piece every week and a half,” Brooks said. “This year I have to make 24 pieces.”

    Brooks encourages students at NHS to find out whether they are interested in art.

    “[Art] is a cool thing to get into,” Brooks said. “I like it when everyone has something that they do. I know a lot of people make art- everyone can make a painting- but when you make it as your own, it’s really different.”