For many people, art is a hobby or peaceful past time. But for others it is much more than that, it is a passion, a creative way to connect with the audience and even a future career path.
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For many people, art is a hobby or peaceful past time. But for others it is much more than that, it is a passion, a creative way to connect with the audience and even a future career path.
This was the case for local artist Cecilia Schmitt for as long as she could remember.
Schmitt has showed an interest in art ever since she was a young child, always drawing when she was growing up. But it was not until middle school when her art teacher Bob Donovan introduced her to painting that her love for art took off. Schmitt credits many of her current interests to her middle school art teacher going above and beyond in the classroom.
“He introduced us to a lot of different mediums that I don’t think a lot of art teachers in middle school would have,” said Schmitt. “There is this thing called Lino printing or linoleum printing, which is essentially carving a block and making a stamp. Which for a middle schooler is pretty advanced to learn.”
Schmitt continued painting through middle school and into high school and it was there she realized she had a real talent and began enjoying the attention her work was receiving. Schmitt continued with her passion of art by drawing cartoons or painting her favorite band designs onto blank shoes. Whenever she had time on her hands, she was either drawing or painting.
“It is much more than a hobby, it is literally my life,” expressed Schmitt.
At the same time Schmitt was discovering her talent, a local artist named Fran Volz was installing large murals of Hollywood icons in downtown Rochelle. During the instillation of the Marilyn Monroe mural, Volz invited local art teachers to the event to share his plans for two more murals in the near future. One of the art teachers attending that day was Bob Donovan, Schmitt’s former teacher.
Donovan and Schmitt have a very close relationship, she even calls him her “art dad,” so when the opportunity to help with the murals presented itself he didn’t hesitate to sign her up.
“As people would come in they were impressed, and I brought Bob over,” explained Volz. “He said he might have some former students who would be interested in helping paint these murals. The next thing I know, these teenagers were showing up.”
The murals Volz had planned were one of Elvis Presley and one of John Wayne. The one of Elvis was already being painted by a different former student, but the one of John Wayne needed help getting finished. Mario Rocha is a former RTHS student who started the work on the John Wayne mural, but had to stop due to time constraints. Schmitt then stepped in and completed the work on the mural.
For Schmitt, it was a great opportunity to build her future resume and get her name and artwork out there for people to see. She had displayed her art at small venues such as Hoarse Flower in Rockford, Bagels and More in Beloit and she even organized an art museum in high school. But this was by far the biggest display of her art to date.
“Ever since I started high school and decided to get serious about art, I have been trying to get every opportunity I can to get my name out there,” added Schmitt.