The rough and  hammering of red hot metal in an outside forge, the hits ring around. The gentle and precise handling of fabric in the empty art room as the sewing machine hums. Two artists at work, focused on their task while two original pieces are created. Even though they are on the opposite sides of the artworld, both are equally worthy of awe they will soon receive. 

Junior Dee Hill and Senior Alisa Thane are two artists who have created original pieces of art in nontraditional ways. Hill mainly works with metal and Thane works with a variety of materials. 

“You can start with basically nothing,” Hill said. “You can always advance because it’s not hard with small materials.”

Hill began creating art seriously in his sophomore year with 3D art. He worked with types of metal to create functional pieces rather than abstract ones. 

“I feel like my metal work could be a lot better,” Hill said. “A lot of my art has become more artistic, it’s not blocky or rough looking, it’s more flowy and smooth.”

Hill was inspired to create metal pieces of artwork from old antique or historical references. Most metal work is mass produced rather than created by hand like Hill’s pieces.

“What I do is blacksmithing,” Hill said. “A lot of the antique blacksmithing and the original way of doing it and older methods are the most inspiring.” 

Some pieces Hill has created include candle holders, book ends, and more. Hill has also forged multiple knives.

“My best art piece is a kitchen knife,” Hill said. “It’s real simple, just made out of rebar but it was the cleanest piece, and I produced it without too much struggle.”

Hill has competed in Vase, a state wide art competition, for two years and has made it past area level. He has also participated in the Boylan art competition. 

“I don’t know if it’s particularly overlooked, but it’s a more simplistic style of art,” Hill said. “It’s not bright, and doesn’t pop, so I feel like my art could be overlooked by judges.”

Hill wants to open his own business at some point in the future, but has been held back by various obstacles, including lack of time due to school.

“I have been trying to get to the point where I can open my own business with it,”Hill said. “I would like to start a business and sell some of these products and get some decent money for it.”

Thane began creating art seriously in junior high during seventh grade. She uses a wide variety of materials as well as many different art styles. 

“Art for me began as a sort of stress relief, a distraction,” Thane said. “But now it means so much more because it’s more of an expression.”

Thane works with materials such as fabric, yarn, paints, paper and more. She sews, crochets, creates portraits, paints murals, and more.

“I have seen a lot of improvement in my art style over time,” Thane said. “I have had a lot of opportunities to practice with new mediums especially because of Mrs. Harrison.”

One of Thanes most well known pieces is her own Coronation dress, which which she made as an entirely original piece that was completed over the course of a month. This was Thane’s first time creating a piece of clothing from scratch.

“My Coronation dress is my favorite creation just because it was so unexpected,” Thane said. “I didn’t think I would be able to pull it off, and I was happily surprised.”

Thane has competed in many art competitions over the years, beginning in scientific illustration, and placed first or second repeatedly. Thane has also participated in Vase, making it to area level. She has also been featured in the end of the year art show. 

“I have mixed feelings when it comes to art competitions,” Thane said. “I like to be challenged and the opportunity to be critiqued and improve myself, but it also sometimes takes away from the meaning of the art.”

Thane has created new categories in the Fashion Show competition. These were crochet in which she placed first this year and last year. 

“Making art gives me the opportunity to improve myself, and to express myself better,” Thane said. “As cliche as it sounds, don’t give up and take every opportunity you can to learn more about art.”

Thane doesn’t plan to study art further after high school. She plans to become a facial reconstructive surgeon. 

“I want to be a facial reconstructive surgeon and I think that’s an art itself,” Thane said. “The art of facial features.”