The scents, sights and emotional highs of hours spent creating in the Oak Bay High art room dominate Natalie Greencorn’s memories of senior year.
“That’s where I spent all my time,” the 2024 grad said.
Greencorn would spend three hours a day there, inspiring and being inspired, in her year-long advanced placement arts class and two consecutive ceramics classes in Grade 12.
The shift to high school really amped up a lifelong passion for art. Now, working in oils is a favourite, with ceramics – particularly on the wheel – a close second.
“That’s the thing I love about Oak Bay (High), they have such a great art community and so many resources,” Greencorn said.
That drive led arts teacher Corey Wright to recommend Greencorn for the annual Oak Bay Community Artists Society scholarship.
President Flo-elle Watson cites Wright’s nomination letter as among the reasons Greencorn was selected.
“She is an amazing student with a passion for art and exceptional excellence,” Wright wrote. “She's a grade 12 student graduating who went on the 2022 art trip with me and her engagement and production in all things art has only increased, and she motivates and inspires her peers.”
Greencorn remembers the trip fondly as a first taste of independence while visiting Paris, Florence and Rome.
“It was a crazy opportunity, especially being a specific art trip,” she said. “That really started my passion. I’d never really been to museums or seen that many pieces of art in real life before.”
The Oak Bay teen anticipates art will be in her future, whether that entails teaching or marketing or some thing that’s not yet crossed her mind. But first she’ll spend some time exploring art and culture in a “gap year”
The artists’ society also offers winning students space at the annual Bowker Brush Up Art Show and sale, held in August. On such short notice, Greencorn plans to participate next year. The art walk along the waterway between Hampshire Road and Armstrong Avenue usually draws about 3,000 visitors.
Other previous scholarship recipients may be on hand for this year’s event, Sunday, Aug. 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
