Whether students are venturing to the senior cafe, rehearsing in the auditorium or meandering to clay class, it is likely that their time spent in the SHS art hallway has brought with it an encounter with a unique artist’s work. Quiet, intuitive, and inspiring, senior Rebecca Foote has dedicated a large portion of her high school career contributing to the arts and has become a humble powerhouse in the Scituate High art community.

Although she enjoys a variety of mediums, Foote’s true artistry stems from her love for painting. “I usually use pastels and watercolors.” When creating a new piece, Foote looks for inspiration all around her. The young artist usually paints people over landscape images. “When finding inspiration for my art, I usually look at poses in magazines.” It’s these simple images Foote encounters every day that characterizes her artistic style.

Foote has loved art for a long time, her early inspiration sprouting from her roots. “My grandmother was an artist.” Foote said, “she helped me to become interested.” Foote’s inspiration has also developed with her artwork. One of her favorite artists is the talented multi-medium artist Jakub Kujawa, whose art ranges from tattoos to oils and sketches. “He’s a big inspiration for my work. I love his oil paintings” she said.

When she’s not in one of the Scituate High School art hallways, Foote enjoys painting in her own house. Although she likes to imagine herself in a deep, art inducing environment to paint, the artist prefers the familiarity and simplicity of a home environment to do her art. She said, “I like to tell myself that I’m going to paint in some inspirational place, but I usually prefer my own house.” At home, Foote likes to keep her art subdued and personal. “My art’s around the house but I never really show it off,” she said, “my parents are lucky if they see it.”

Foote’s membership in the Scituate High School community has not gone unnoticed, especially in the arts department. On her art class career, Foote said “I’ve taken Print and Design Studio I, Mixed-Media II as well as Honors and AP art.” With this plethora of art curriculum under her belt, she has definitely left a lasting footprint with her work and participation. Foote has also made an impact with her on fellow SHS classmates. Foote’s art classmate, senior Marisa White, is impressed by the young artist’s methodology.  “She’s a very tentative artist, each piece has a lot of thought in it. Rebecca is also very color- oriented in her work” White said.

Foote seems fond of the supportive Scituate High art department and points out her fondness for art teacher, Mrs. Hickey. “She has always been especially helpful for me and my art. She also challenges me by pushing me do things I wouldn’t normally try artistically.”

Art teacher Ms. Hickey equally appreciates Foote’s presence in the Scituate art department, noting her admirable eagerness to grow and challenge herself as an artist. “She is able to synthesize her innate visual acuity and her intellect in self-directed creative pursuits that allow her work to unfold thoughtfully and creatively” Hickey said. Of Foote’s many artistic contributions to SHS, Hickey was especially impressed with a watercolor self-portrait in which, she said, “is charged with a psychological portrayal of duality.”

In her final year at Scituate High School, Foote enjoys the senior benefits. “I love leaving during study, and eating outside is pleasant,” she said. In addition to art classes, Foote has filled her SHS career with both challenging and especially enjoyable classes. Reflecting on her time in high school she said “junior year in general was absolutely the most stressful and challenging.”

Foote’s hobbies also expand beyond her art, showing her well-rounded interests. “I horseback ride at CFD Show Stables in Duxbury.” Foote enjoys riding her horse, Scout, but only does so as a hobby, not to compete. In addition to perusing the stables, Rebecca also plays the piano in her spare time.

In her future, Rebecca hopes to continue down her own artistic path, although she does not plan on pursuing it in her college career. This simple, subdued and powerful approach to art is what makes Foote special and enticing as an artist. Although she is well-rounded and has other interests, Rebecca’s zeal for art is clear. Foote’s subtle passion for the subject is bound to make for an unexpected great artist of the future.