Art a passion for 16-year-old

For most 16-year-olds, a decision on a career path usually is not made until college. But for Post Falls High School student Ana Kendall, there never has been a question of what she intends to do with her life, and she already is receiving recognition for her talent.

An artist, Kendall recently was chosen as one of 30 finalists from more than 9,000 entries from around the country in a contest sponsored by Safeway and Lucerne.

Kendall credits her art teacher, Larry Alexander, with encouraging her to enter the contest as well as helping her prepare for college and an eventual career in art.

“He asked if I was getting together a portfolio,” said Kendall, who is enrolled in an advanced art class and hopes to attend an art school in Seattle after high school graduation. “He also gives us assignments that we can use for a portfolio.”

One piece of artwork Kendall intends to add to her portfolio is the piece she has designed for Safeway and Lucerne’s Cow and History contest.

In late 2006, Kendall submitted her design, which, under the contest’s rules, had to depict an event in American history. The 30 finalists from around the country now are busy transferring their designs to life-size fiberglass cow sculptures.

“They delivered the cow all the way from New York,” Kendall said. It will be on display during the last two weeks in April at a local Safeway store.

The winner, who will receive $1,000 for both themselves and their art teacher along with a $20,000 prize for their school, will be announced at the end of April.

According to Safeway, cows were chosen as the canvas for the art project to promote dairy products as healthful snack alternatives.

Kendall chose the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks for her contest entry.

“It is something I remember really well, so I decided to do that,” she said.

In her design, New York’s Twin Towers are depicted with a bright orange sunset behind them. Also shown are a flag and the Statue of Liberty. Bright blue covers the cow, depicting the water and sky.

“I also painted the USS New York,” said Kendall, referring to the new Navy ship that is being constructed from 24 tons of scrap steel salvaged from the World Trade Center.

Kendall says she always has enjoyed art, but it wasn’t until middle school that she really started to be passionate about it.

In addition to her most recent honor, Kendall also has received honorable mention in a contest titled “Dreams and Schemes” sponsored by the University of Idaho. Her entry was a watercolor painting of a timeline depicting the evolution of music. She painted records, sheet music and the iPod among other things to tell her story.

The contest theme, chosen by the University of Idaho’s Department of Art and Design, was intended to stimulate the participants’ imaginations and help encourage creativity.

While she doesn’t have a specific artist whom she models, Kendall says she is motivated by many different people.

“There are a lot of really inspiring great artists out there,” she said.

Kendall and a friend are taking their love of art to their church, where they have started a program called KITE, or Kreative Insight To Eternity. Bringing together art and the study of the Bible, Kendall and her friend will introduce young children to her love of art.

Kendall has put countless hours into the contest for Safeway and Lucerne. She works on the project during her art class, which begins at 1 p.m., and she seldom leaves school before 6.

While doing all of this, Kendall also is involved in Junior Miss, a program for young women who are high school juniors that highlights scholastic achievement and offers scholarships. There are interviews and fitness segments as well as a talent portion in the competition.

“We only have 90 seconds to perform” the talent portion, said Kendall. “I made stencils of a picture of John Lennon and am going to paint it in the 90 seconds.”

Kendall’s talent portion of the competition will combine the two things about which she feels the most strongly.

“Music and art are definitely my biggest passions,” Kendall said.