Arts Student of the Week Gwen Ashack

"Twins," The philosopher Hippocrates once conjectured, "are like one another for the following reasons. First, the places are alike in which they grow; then they were secreted together; then they grow by the same nourishment, and at birth they reach together the light of day."

Arts Student of the Week, Niwot High School freshman Gwen Ashack, might agree with Hippocrates, but only up to a point. "I have one brother," Ashack said. "I'm a twin. He doesn't enjoy art as much as I do, but we both play hockey."

Growing up, the twins took the same classes at Boulder Country Day Middle School and they would see each other all day long. But at Niwot High School, things have changed. "It's kind of weird to not see him as much, but also it doesn't feel that abnormal," Ashack confessed.

It was during middle school that Ashack developed her interest in art, and she has continued that interest during her first year in high school. After completing Beginning Metals and 2-D Design her first semester, Ashack is taking Intermediate Metals and Beginning Ceramics this semester. In addition to her art courses, she is taking a pre-IB track of classes that include English, Spanish, History, Biology, and Math.

Ashack chose art classes in middle school because that was one of the few options that caught her attention, and she had an encouraging teacher. "I really enjoyed just sitting and doing art while chatting with people and it just got me thinking about art more as I went into high school," she said. "We didn't do a lot of sketching or drawing. We did a lot of oil, pastels and then watercolor and we worked with paint sometimes."

In her NHS Metals class, Ashack has created a variety of pieces. "Gwen is showing outstanding dedication and skills in the fine arts," her metal arts teacher, Jason Watkins, said. "Her attention to detail and ability to create fascinating works of art is incomparable for a freshman."

Ashack accepted Watkins' compliment with modesty. "I wouldn't say my work is fascinating. I would say it fits the guidelines, but not necessarily fascinating. We'll have little jump rings of metal and we'll create a pattern out of them and make a bracelet," she explained. "Or, we'll do like a layered metal project where you take a design that you want to do and you have to have two layers of metal for it. And then incorporate a stone into it. It depends on the guidelines, but it's mostly jewelry pieces. We have silver, gold, and copper-toned metals that we'll cut out with, but then the little rings of metal that come in all sorts of colors."

"Gwen has taken four (arts) courses in just her freshman year. It will be fascinating to watch her in future years in other courses," Watkins said.

Although Ashack doesn't have a favorite artist, she has found inspiration from her 2-D design teacher, Crystal Hinds. "I would ask her questions about what colors she thinks would work together and then she would say two colors, and then I would really think about it and then I would decide based on her opinion, because I do think she knows what she's talking about."

"The thing is, if you go to the museum you can't really just look at the piece of art. If you're looking at a painting you have to... like, my ceramics teacher Ms. Collier said, 'You have to peel back the layers of what they are trying to do... This artist painted the sky first and then they went in with a green color to do the trees.' You have to like, analyze it, put yourself in the artist's position almost, to be able to really understand it."

There is a comradery among the art students at NHS that Ashack finds heartwarming. "Art students are one of the nicest groups of people in the entire school, and the teachers are just amazing. And they really help you along through the process and you can ask whatever questions you want. They're really great people." Ashack contributes to that congeniality. "Gwen is also an extremely wonderful person to have in class," Watkins said. "Always welcome, warm and cheerful."

It is difficult, for now, to think about the future. "I have interests that I could possibly make a career out of," Ashack said. "But I feel like it would be hard. When I go to college, I want to get a degree where I can have a bunch of different options. That's my only plan so far. I think I would like to travel. I've stayed in Colorado my whole life and I think it's cool, but I'd like to see other places."

There are two other interests that occupy much of Ashack's time. The artist has two dogs: a chocolate lab named Moose, and Maple, a yellow lab. And even though she and her twin brother do not enjoy a common interest in art, they continue to share a passion for hockey. Ashack plays in the Sport Stable club league. "That's my main sport," Ashack said. "I don't know why I enjoy it. I just really do."