I am Hailey Hahn, a junior at Pacific Grove High School. I currently take AP Studio Art: 2D Design with Mr. Matthew Kelly. Art has been a constant throughout my life, because I have always loved making things and expressing my creativity. I find the task of making art enjoyable and calming. I often create just to create, not always for a final product.

I like to experiment with materials and have grown attached to gouache paint and alcohol markers. I love putting small details into my art and taking the time and care to make it complete and nuanced. This year I started developing my AP art portfolio and I’ve been creating art which shows the romanticization and the wonder of everyday life: things that have a traditionally poor connotation for many but that can be a magical experience for others. This theme has really let me be creative and make art I enjoy.

My piece is called, The Ghost of Candlelight, it is meant to show the loss of time and how you should cherish it. These people are melting away but it doesn't stop them from showing their love until the end. I painted a base layer in watercolor to show lights and darks. I then went over that with gouache to make the colors really stand out. After painting I went over it again with colored pencils and alcohol markers to add texture and more hue variation. When the painting was done I pasted it on top of strips of paper with cardboard behind each layer to give it a 3D look. Then I spilled hot wax over the “candles” to make it look like they were melting. The art piece depicts the feeling of clinging to love even as time continues on.