As her senior year at Edina High School comes to an end, so does Claire Chen’s first year as an out-of-class artist for Zephyrus. In addition to creating beautiful art pieces, in her time as a member of Zephyrus, Claire brought a willingness to challenge herself, and a desire to expand her skill set. 

Claire decided to apply for Zephyrus at the end of her junior year. “I really loved art and I wanted to find a way to put my art out there,” she said. Claire has contributed many different pieces of art to accompany articles. “There was one about space that was fun,” she said. “I also did one about varsity sports versus club sports, I thought that was a fun drawing to make.” 

Zephyrus gave Claire an opportunity to try digital art instead of sticking with traditional art. “I thought [Zephyrus] was a fun way to start off and then have other people view my art,” Claire said. 

Even though Claire wasn’t in the pubs room during seventh hour, she still became part of the publication’s community. Describing herself as “outgoing, creative, and spontaneous,” Claire showcased a positive attitude and good work ethic. “I also got to meet some more people like Anabelle [Jakala] and Hope Berge and other people who are working with art,” she said. 

In addition to being a member of the art staff, Claire also found time to run Art Club and manage playing three different instruments: guitar, violin, and ukulele. As she graduates in the spring, she will certainly be missed by Zephyrus. However, it’s certain that she has great things in store. Claire will likely be attending the University of Minnesota next fall. “I don’t plan on majoring in art, but I do want to keep practicing digital art and maybe bring that into college somehow,” she said.

Claire hopes others will take advantage of the opportunity to join Zephyrus the same way she did. “I highly recommend joining Zephyrus, it’s a great way to meet new people with similar interests and to put your passions out there for others.”

This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on May 18, 2023.