The Visual & Literary Arts at NDA

By: Gillian P. '16      

         

          NDA students have some amazing talents. Throughout the year, NDA gators have revealed their special literary and visual art skills. This year, Danika Frank (‘14) has been the very first NDA senior to win A Silver Key in the Scholastic Writing Awards for her three poems “Where I Was Born”, “When You Return”, and “What Teenagers Feel”. The poems are about growing up and the formation of identity, much like the coming of age stories we read today. “I love telling stories, creating characters, and attempting to arrange words in some way that will hopefully be beautiful,” Danika said. In accordance with her awe-inspiring writing abilities, Danika is President of Book Club and Co-Editor of the Literary Art Journal.  After this great achievement, Danika plans to enter her writings in many other contests. Her favorite writers include J.D. Salinger, Sylvia Plath, David Levithan, Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, John Green, E.E Cummings, and many more. Her favorite poems are "Howl" by Allen Ginsberg and "Pretty How Town" by E.E Cummings. 

            In addition, another student's talents were showcased this year: Alexandria P. (‘16) has had two of her paintings put into the Art Lab’s 10th Annual Kids Opening in Snug Harbor.  Last year she was well-known for her painting “Forgotten Memories”, which is

currently featured on the Art Lab invitation!  “My elementary art teacher inspired me to do art, as did my mother; she was actually an art major. My grandmother, who also did art, encouraged me too,” Alexandria states.  Alexandria has put at least one painting in the Art Lab every year for the past eight years and has won honorable mention in 4th grade for her painting “By The Shore”. Alexandria’s style is known as semi-realism, which means she puts cartoons in some of her paintings and adds realistic effects to them. She is a fan of the Japanese cartoon style and enjoys watching anime and reading manga. The two paintings she has put in the Art Lab this year are named “Isolation” and “Language Of The Flowers”.  Her paintings were featured throughout the month of March at 1000 Richmond Terrace Staten Island, NY. Congratulations girls!