Fourth grade Alex Shipley sits with his iPad pulled close, the screen lit with a cartoon character making dramatic faces frame by frame. The famous character has millions of followers, and represents the person behind the story it tells. Shipley, completely captivated, in awe while watching the YouTube video, was excited by the art of animation. Now, as a senior, when Shipley rewatches the videos created by his favorite online animators, he realizes that his passion for art sparked from the animated stories he watched as a child. 

This inspiration has earned him a scholarship to the prestigious Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) in Columbus, Ohio, where Shipley will be able to continue his passion for animation, which began years ago.

“[My first memory of art] was probably back when I was homeschooling in Fort Wayne. We always had these little activities where we did little sketches for each homework, to just pass by, and to make sure it stayed in our heads,” Shipley said. “But ever since then, I just started continuing doodling, sketching, and all that. And then moved here and decided to do more.”

That initial spark of love for the arts has erupted into a full-time commitment for Shipley, who has now taken many of the art courses offered at NHS, from AP Drawing to AP Photography. According to fellow artist, senior Kiersten York, Shipley’s artistic talent has only grown and continues to impress her, despite taking on the art department’s most rigorous curriculum.

“He is one of the most impressive artists that I know and I am absolutely certain that he will go far in the artistic world,” York said. “The most important quality that Alex possesses to make him an outstanding artist is his dedication to his craft. He is constantly working on new projects and testing his artistic abilities.”

Shipley’s latest test has been creating a piece for the Indianapolis Airport Authority. AP Drawing teacher Caroline Hays, who has previously completed artwork for the organization, invited Shipley to the group’s most recent artistic undertaking.

“Each year [the airport] gets their board of directors a gift, and they were looking for basketballs to be painted. With the quick turnaround, we had the flexibility to have some students paint them and so I invited Alex to do that,” Hays said. 

AP teachers like Hays, emphasize that their courses are much more difficult than an entry-level class, even for the most talented of artists. Instead of a traditional exam, AP art courses each require a large 24-part portfolio, due in early May. For his fourth piece in his Drawing portfolio, which illustrates his journey to becoming more comfortable with his identity, Shipley chose to investigate what he calls his “transition of emotion” that occurred when he realized he was transgender. 

“It’s my last piece for my whole investigation of being comfortable in myself. It has a huge star in the background showing my soul and personality,” Shipley said. “[My art helped me through my transition] because I could put the emotions that I isolated into my art.”

Because Hays has taught Shipley for two years, she has witnessed his transition of gender firsthand. She watched as he became more comfortable in his own skin and embraced his identity through his art.

“It takes a lot of courage for someone to be able to create artwork about something so personal,” Hays said. “I think in this day and age, it takes a lot of courage to be able to share your story and experience.”

According to Shipley, the time spent laboring over artwork, brainstorming new pieces, and putting together cohesive portfolios culminates in his acceptance or rejection from an art college. After hearing about CCAD from an alumni and visiting the campus with his parents, Shipley chose to apply to the college, not expecting an acceptance.

“I received the box of the ‘Congrats, you made it in’ and found out [I’d received] a scholarship, and apparently it was the Trustees Scholarship,” Shipley said. “I was flabbergasted. I was quite surprised because it’s a private art school. And I [felt] like my art is not good… but for them, they’re like, ‘You have a broad use of materials. You’re great.’ I’m like, ‘wow.’”

Thanks to his scholarship, as well as further education about animation and other art forms at the CCAD, Shipley hopes to capture the fascination of his audience. This same wonder intrigued him to begin creating art when he was younger.

“Throughout the growth of myself, seeing art to movements like claymation with the “Nightmare Before Christmas” fascinated me,” Shipley said. “Every little frame is a second or a millisecond of something, but all then aligns into a story, and I guess that just always stuck with me.”

Throughout his animation career, Shipley hopes to come to a greater realization of his identity, a continued effort in the effects art has already had on his perception of himself.

“Art has always been there for me,” Shipley said. “Whenever I’m down, I sketch it out.”