"Growing up in the same small-town community my entire life, I really took the beauty and realism for granted. I never realized the beauty and integrity the town had to offer until I took the time to create a piece about the most important aspects of Newark, Illinois. I really wanted to capture the country landscape, animals, and history, along with aspects of my personal life, in the portfolio. I wanted to use a variety of materials to show the realistic and beautiful aspects of the town that I am able to call my home. I started the journey by making a list of the scenes I found most important. I also asked my classmates their most memorable part of the community as well. I started off with a really rough sketch before each project, but always ended up changing things along the way. My ideas changed along the way and I wished I had chosen more of an historical side of Newark. As the year went on, I added and took away from the list in order to focus on what was essential. My portfolio really captures the most extraordinary parts of my favorite community, Newark, Illinois." - Sophie Schomer