Kaysinger conference student-athletes enrolled in fine arts credits swap pick-and-pops for pencils and pastels when school is in session, and a handful of players on the court for the basketball tournament earned ribbons at the Kaysinger Art Show.
Hosted this year by Green Ridge High School, names familiar to scorebooks such as Lincoln guard Boone Kroenke, Sacred Heart volleyball player Anna Callis, Smithton guard Drew Apsher and Otterville guard Abby Nichols appeared as signatures on pieces varying in medium.
Kroenke submitted a color wheel with an illustration of an elk as its centerpiece. The show was on display until Thursday, Feb. 9, before he dropped 37 points in the basketball tournament semifinals.
While he downplayed his artistic interest as a graduation requirement, Kroenke said the outdoors is a compelling subject.
“I haven’t hadn’t my fine arts credit in high school,” Kroenke said. “I enjoy it. As long as I can do stuff that’s related to the outdoors … Draw an elk, take pictures of some ducks, something like that.”
Apsher, who cracked 2,000 career points in the conference basketball tournament on Saturday, earned an honorable mention ribbon for a still life entitled, “Charcoal mountain picture,” depiciting mannquins, a wooden structure and bowl.
“I really didn’t know about the name,” Apsher said. “I just went with it, I don’t really know.”
He values the artistic indepenence teacher Jennifer Nold allows the class, and was admired the talent showcased in this year’s show.
“I like the freedom you get in it,” Apsher said. “I’ve always liked sports, and after you master the fundamentals and stuff, a lot of that is just creativity — what moves do what, reacting to stuff. I think there’s a lot of correlation. I think stretching your creativity and working on that is definitely a life skill.
“I’m impressed with a lot of the work I see here, and even in our own classroom.”
