2026 School Spotlights
2026 School Spotlights
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Student April Synergy Collage Activity
Student April Synergy Collage Activity
What inspires an OCA student? This month, our creators used digital media to tell their personal stories through hobby-themed collages. Dive into the collection to see the creativity on display and find out what moves your peers.
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OCA Staff Showcase: Express Yourself – CREATE!
OCA Staff Showcase: Express Yourself – CREATE!
Beyond the virtual classroom, our OCA staff members are artists, builders, chefs, and creators! In alignment with this month’s Synergy theme, our educators are sharing the personal passions that inspire them outside of work. Click the link to explore our Staff Showcase—it’s a wonderful way to find common ground, celebrate our diverse talents, and see the "FAB" side of the team that supports you every day!
Individual Student Spotlights
Individual Student Spotlights
Isabella H. - Grade 11
Isabella H. - Grade 11
"I am motivated to create because I enjoy the process of art and making ordinary slice of life moments into whimsical full of color and life scenes. I find that I work best when I’m settled on my couch with a favorite podcast. This sense of coziness allows me to fully immerse myself in the exploration of color and lighting along with the character, which I use to build the overall tone I want to convey in each piece."
Isabella's Key Creative Influences
Simzarts
Marc Brunet
Meyuu
WLOP
Leena A. - Grade 8
Leena A. - Grade 8
Leena uses her artwork to express her inner feelings, thoughts, and passions, serving a deep purpose that is meaningful to her. She yearns to turn ordinary scenes into wondrous, thoughtful views that leave people with a touching message and underlying meaning. A core theme in her work is representing others and making them feel seen. She aims to illustrate complex emotions and struggles to comfort or inform her viewers.
"I take deep thought and consideration into each of the features of my art—such as what I want the mood of the piece to be or what specific emotion will be conveyed through it."
Leena's Key Creative Influences
Claude Monet
Eva Gonzalès
She draws from the contrasting styles of Impressionism and Surrealism, as well as pop culture influences like animated shows.
"Regardless of whether I’m painting a landscape, drawing a facial expression, or doing a quick sketch, the detail of my art and how it will be interpreted are always important to me."
Caleb M. - Grade 11
Caleb M. - Grade 11
Caleb's passion began during a 2022 fishing trip to Upper Michigan, where he first decided to try capturing the birds he already liked. is grandpa was instrumental in his start, first by lending him an old camera and later by purchasing his first professional setup. He finds motivation in achieving the best rated image on eBird and having his work featured in previous art showcases.
"I am trying to get as many wins or entries into photography competitions as I can, so that I can have a good start in maybe a future career in bird photography!"
"These are some of my best, but I have about 950 more!"
Hannah H. - Grade 8
Hannah H. - Grade 8
Hannah’s art is deeply connected to her identity as a traveler. She uses her creative process to document her journeys, noting, "When I’m visiting a new country, I like to make some sort of art to help me remember it in the future". She finds that being in the mountains away from cities allows her "to get closer to wildlife and ancient dwellings from generations ago".
"In other words, I go places most people can’t or won’t."
Hannah's Key Creative Influences
Bob Ross: Hannah strives to emulate Ross’s specific style and outlook. She is inspired by his "The Joy of Painting" legacy and aims to achieve a similar quality in her own work.
Vincent Van Gogh: She looks to Van Gogh to push her "out of my comfort zone" by studying his use of vibrant color palettes and unique tools like the painting knife.
"Themes like change and hidden/visible are my favorite parts of paintings, along with the color palettes and mood."
Drayton E. - Grade 8
Drayton E. - Grade 8
Drayton views art as a vital tool for self-expression, stating, "For me personally art is a way to express myself in unique ways". He aims for his work to be relatable to any reader by utilizing a wide variety of personalities and themes.
"It inspires me to incorporate a variety of emotions in my art so that it helps the viewer feel what I want to convey in my emotionally intense art pieces"
Drayton's Key Creative Influences
Kohei Horikoshi (My Hero Academia)
Tatsuya Endo (SPY X FAMILY)
Beyond manga, Dre draws visual inspiration from Sony’s animated films, specifically Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and K-Pop Demon Hunters.
"I like colorful themes, action, suspense, some romance usually mixed with comedy, and friendship."
Olivia R. - Grade 8
Olivia R. - Grade 8
Inspired by a visit to the Wayne White exhibit in Knoxville, TN, this series reimagines the 'Thrift Store Painting.' Olivia finds old, vintage landscapes and changes them up with bright, bold, and eye-catching characters.
Keep checking in for more updates!
Grace F. - The Butterflies Dance, 2024
Jazzlynn M. - CoLoRS, 2024
Maryam S. - OMORI, 2024
Eva L. - Digital #4, 2025
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