Sal Lynch doodled and experimented with art from a young age. She never thought of it as anything more than a hobby, but now that same girl, a SHS sophomore, is graduating high school early to attend college and pursue a career in art.
“I always wanted to be one of those people that played sports or was in every activity, and I never thought of art as one of those things, or my thing,” Lynch said. “But recently … I realized it was the thing I know how to do.”
Lynch has taken a creative journey through self-discovery thanks to art, which has made great impacts on her life and character.
She has been creating art for as long as she can remember. Before coming to SHS, her art had little meaning, if any. It was mostly just experimentation, tinkering with and building on basic skills or struggling to create the right skin tones on paper.

However in the past few years, Lynch’s art has shown emotion and essence through mature and sophisticated techniques. Her personal art style is very original as she embraces her own personality through her creations after having them restricted in the past.
“It was always the cookie-cutter projects that everyone had to create and trace,” Lynch said. “I didn’t like that, so I try to act as myself and teach myself now.”
Reaching her current style has been a process of different artistic steps throughout the years. Over time, it has just been a growth into where Lynch is now.
She struggled with more rudimentary methods of art preached to her, and as she strayed more towards unconventional approaches, Lynch started to enjoy art even more.
“It has just gotten a lot busier and more colorful,” Lynch said. “But in a way that seems organized to me.”
Lynch relishes the masses of bright colors present in her artworks and aims to create visually appealing pieces. Her theme for this year is Color Psychology, and Lynch wants to present what colors mean connected to emotions and feelings.
Her bold and colorful pieces, created with a variety of mediums and sometimes including references to animated media if she sees fit, have grown in importance to her. Her emotionally intense works provide her with relaxation as she can express herself.
“More freedom with my art is very relieving,” Lynch said.
Kayla Shouse, who was Lynch’s former art teacher at SHS and now an art teacher for the DoDEA Southeast District, observed her skill this year. She watched Lynch’s unique blend of impressionism and realism continue to improve.
“She is able to capture anything

“She is able to capture and everything she is feeling and gracefully put it on a canvas,” Shouse said. “I enjoy the colors, emotion and intensity she puts into her work.”
Having the ability to create her art and being able to share it on a platform with others, like Shouse, is something Lynch is very grateful for. She enjoys seeing others appreciate her work.
Lynch’s talent and her art pieces amaze friends and family, and she receives great support from her loved ones, one being her sister Fiona Lynch.
“We are all extremely supportive of her art,” Fiona said. “She never doesn’t amaze us with what she does.”
The demiurgic outlet has been a major part of Lynch’s life and has helped her become herself, and it is noticeable to family.
“I think art has helped her find herself in a way that gives her a place to express things creatively, which then helps her be a more authentic version of herself,” Fiona said.
The reason Lynch makes art is to inspire others, and she does so everyday. She is an inspiration to friends and family, but is especially one to Shouse.
The pair only knew each other from July to October of this year while Shouse taught Lynch art at SHS. However, Lynch still made an impact on Shouse and her works.
“Sal pushed me to be more creative in my personal work and be more colorful in everything I create,” Shouse said.
Lynch’s art plays a big role in her life by helping her express things she may feel like she can’t through words, and will also be a large part of her future.

Lynch plans to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia after she departs from high school. She intends to major in either Sequential Art or Storyboard Animation based on what her portfolio turns out to be and what the university sees fit for Lynch.
“It means everything,” Lynch said.