Senior Bjork Clarke is a hardworking art student who can always be found either holding a paintbrush or a camera. Her talent thrives and pulses around her, so it is natural to wonder when she first became interested in art.

“I became interested in art at the age of 12 or so,” said Clarke. “I started taking my art seriously and started to think about what I wanted to do with my life and art was the only thing that made me happy.”

Clarke has completed two separate art portfolios in one year, one in art and one in 2D photography, and received a passing score on both. She incorporated two of the topics she is most passionate about into these works, gay rights and civil rights. However, when she is not busy working and creating, she spends her time relaxing and catching up on her favorite movies and television shows.

“I watch Netflix all the time,” said Clarke.  “I also just started going to the gym. I even paint sometimes when I’m at home.”

This is imperative to an artist, to be able to wind down after a long day of being focused on their work. However, Clarke also has complete focus on her future. She knows what she wants and exactly how she is going to get it.

“I want to work at a publishing group or a magazine firm and hopefully build my way up until I can go on my own and create my own children’s books,” said Clarke.

With her sights set high, Clarke explains how she wants to both write and illustrate her own children’s books where kids can read them and escape reality completely and go into another world. She wants to give children their first glimpse into the fantasy world.

“Hopefully I get accepted to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn or Parsons in Manhattan, New York,” said Clarke.  “I want to major in illustration and minor in photography.”

New York is especially appealing to Clarke because of the fast pace and the fact that she can make something out of an art career in such a big city.

“She’s versatile and passionate,” said AP Art teacher Ms. Ardner. “Bjork is animated, full of life, energetic, and very self driven.”

This kind of “self-driven” and motivated personality is one to surely take her far in life as an art student. Her work is inspired by her own concepts and ideas, but the attribute that makes her work shine so much is the fact that she loves doing it.

“I love that I can make it however I want it,” said Clarke. “Regardless of what people think, it’s my art and I can just make it my own.”