15 minutes with Allison Howard, Ada High School sophomore
Allison, tell me what classes you are taking this semester.
Chemistry, U.S. Studies II, CAD (Computer Aided Drafting), Geography, English 10 Advanced, French II and Art II. I’m also in Aspirations.
I see you have an art sketchpad. Tell me about it.
I like sketching and drawing. The largest project I ever created was last year. In art we took a small comic panel and enlarged it to about 4 feet by 2 and a half feet. That took over three weeks in class to complete. I did mine on a Danger Girl comic panel.
You like art?
Yes, I’m thinking about going into some kind of art or psychology. When I was in the fourth of fifth grade I started reading and looking at the art in comic books. My specific interest is in Manga art, also known as anime. It’s a cartoon form of art.
How does the CAD class help your art?
In CAD is helpful. There we focus on technical drawings, on shapes and angles.
Tell me about your musical interests. How do you store your music and how many songs do you have?
I now have an MP3. It has about 1,600 some songs. It took a long time to get that many. My mom had CDs. I started with those.
What do you listen to?
Alternative rock, rap, Indie, some classical and country. I like just about anything.
Most of your stored music is made up of what specific groups?
My Chemical Romance. It’s an alternative rock group. I saw them in Columbus. I also have Fallout Boy. I’d like to see Cage The Elephant perform some day.
Do you have a favorite book series?
I’ve read the Flowers in the Attic series by V.C. Andrews. I’m on the fourth book. It’s a series about some kids you need to live with their grandmother. It’s very complicated. They end up living in an attic for three years. It’s pretty tragic.
If you could travel anywhere in the world outside the U.S. where would you go?
Probably Europe. England or France. I hope that by the time I’m in French IV I can speak French well enough to get around.
What’s your favorite meal in the school cafeteria?
That would be breakfast for lunch. It includes French toast, hash browns and fruit.
Do you text much?
Not really. About one or two times a day. Pretty low.
Are there any computer art programs you use outside of school?
I use Paint Tool Sai. It’s one program. It allows me to use more dynamic colors. It’s very easy to make realistic drawings. I like to experiment with it.
How long have you lived in Ada?
I grew up in Lima and went to school there. Then we moved to Dola and I went to Hardin Northern. I came to Ada in the eighth grade.
What is the condition of your school locker?
Very clean. Maybe a stray paper, but I don’t want it to be an avalanche when I open it. I like to grab and go.
How did you become interested in psychology?
I’ve always been a thoughtful person. I realized I enjoy studying what people think. I used to be an insomniac. I started reading about it and learned that artists dream differently than scientists, for example.
How do artists dream?
Their dreams are more vivid, wild and heavy into symbolism. Scientists’ dreams are not so vivid or colorful.
Well, Allison, thanks for talking with us. We look forward to viewing more of your art.
