Students Illustrate Familiar Theme: School

By Amber Keister
Photography By Illustration By Ella Fischer Jul 30, 2015

For the August issue, Cary Magazine has teamed up with a talented group of student artists to help get readers in the mood to go Back to School.

Tom Hutchison, with the Cary School of Creative Arts, proposed a real-life assignment for his “Get Published! Illustration Camp” held at Cary Academy in June: He asked 13 area teens to create an illustration to open our section of education-related articles. The artwork that best represented the theme would then appear in Cary Magazine.

“I wanted the kids to realize that illustration is not limited to just children's books — that editorial illustration is a great outlet for their talents,” Hutchison said. “When these kids see their illustration published, and in a beautiful magazine that thousands of others will see, that is a tremendous feeling.”

Under the direction of teacher Kristin Schiffman and guidance from Cary Magazine staff, the 13 participants worked hard on their drawings of backpacks, books, alphabets and apples.

“We felt fortunate to work with a recognizable, local publication like Cary Magazine,” said Schiffman. “I think this got the kids excited, and that was definitely reflected in their work. The ideas they came up with were so well thought out and creative!”

But ultimately, we could only choose one design. Enloe High student Ella Fischer, 15, submitted the winner — a charming visual vignette of an uncertain student watching a school bus approach as an ice cream truck drives off. (That's Ella, pictured above.)

We are grateful to all these campers and their hard work: