Emma Whitney

I cannot definitively say when I began creating art – growing up as an only child; creative projects were just a part of my life. As a child I explored artistic mediums with a voracious appetite that could enthrall me for hours and was always searching for my next creative outlet. I remember requesting more art supplies for Christmas than I did toys, whether it was a loom, fuse beads or a complete set of Prisma colored pencils. Now, unfortunately, I must divide my time between school and other responsibilities, instead of loosing myself in artistic endeavors day after day. However, I still seize the opportunities I am presented to exercise my creative nature. Any creative project for class, be it a sketch of a scene from a book or a Power Point on a restaurant, I dive into and make as imaginative as possible. Now as I plan for my future, I realize the importance of art and creativity in my life – its impossible for me to live day-to-day without it. I hope for a college and career that allows my artistic ability to intertwine with my other diverse interests.
Chain maille for me began as an odd lesson I took at a local library, striking my love for medieval attire, unusual art forms and occupying restless hands. This was alas eight years ago. I decided to revive my old hobby – that muscle memory allowed me to retain – and transform the crude armor into a more delicate work. I loved how metal a traditionally unyielding and forceful element could be so forgiving, allowing for alterations as the piece evolved.