What does it take to be an artist? Some might say that it’s the technical skill one might have in painting and drawing or the emotion and ideas that your artwork inspires within the viewer. This is the question that those with an affinity for creativity ask themselves, and what Melissa Dold and Anne Petty’s AP Art and Design program aims to answer. Melissa and Anne’s program has been shaping Prep’s artists for around a decade. Reserved exclusively for seniors, the only pre-requisite necessary is passion and dedication to hone their skills in a variety of mediums and the drive to investigate the world through an artist’s lens. A student whose artwork undoubtedly displays these refined skills is Hayes Stewart ’23. Hayes explores and investigates the American opiate crisis, using block printing, drawing and painting to inspire empathy within the viewer, questioning who’s to blame for the opioid crisis and the roots of addiction in our modern society. 

“Coming up with ideas is the hardest part. AP Art + Design is set up so students can grapple with that, problem solve and help each other with ideas. Hayes’ work is so creative. He is inquisitive and interested in the world around him as well as other artists and very adept at materials and technical skills.” — Melissa Dold, Prep Art Teacher