Ever since the day senior Katie Segler was given crayons and a piece of paper, she has not been able to put them down. Segler has always had a nitch for anything related to art. The prodigy did not know how much she loved art until her junior year. Segler said, “The moment I knew I loved art was in Mr. Kuehn’s class junior year. I was able to explore different materials and I discovered my individual style. Since then my love for art has only grown!”

Segler was able to use her art talents towards a large scholarship at Drake University, which is the college she will be attending in the fall of 2017. The artist sent in an art portfolio with eight pictures of her best pieces of art and then a few short months later she received a scholarship of $10,000 per year. When Segler heard back from the scholarship committee she was shocked. “ I was super surprised when I found out-I really was not expecting that. It’s such an honor and it only makes me more excited for the future!” said Segler. Receiving this scholarship was a huge boost for her moral. The pieces were more than just art submitted in hopes of receiving money towards college. “I worked really hard on the pieces I made and they represented me and my individuality. It’s such an unbelievable feeling knowing people support what I made,” said Segler.

The senior has also helped multiple people around the community with her creative talents. Helping others with tasks needing creativity started with just painting things for her friends, but now her endeavors have expanded to designing the homecoming t-shirt, painting garbage cans for the soccer fields, painting a mural for Oldenburg Photography and designing posters for events. “It’s always a neat feeling when someone recognizes my love for anything art related!” Whether it is her fellow classmates or a person from a local organization in desperate need for a t-shirt design, Segler never fails to deliver. Her love and passion for art is apparent in every piece of art she creates. Each detail, color and line is deliberately placed there to create an amazing final product.

The young artist uses her passion for art to improve other aspects of her life, like relieving stress. “Sitting down and painting is so relaxing and when I’m in that zone, I don’t worry about anything else – it’s just me and what I create,” said Segler. The artist loves the freedom to express herself in a way that she is not able to in any other parts of her life. Segler loves how art can help people visualize what she thinks, feels and believes. Finding a passion as strong as Katie Segler’s passion for art is possible for everyone. Segler said,”I know no matter where I am in life, I’ll always have my art.” If students have not found their passion yet, keep looking because it is out there!