Loading ...Talented senior Joe Connelly has spent the past four years in Scituate High School humbly walking the hallways. Connelly thrives in the art department, where his thoughts take life in drawings and comic strips, amazing his peers and teacher alike.
Inspired by the music he listens to and characters he has created from his own experiences, the senior spends much of his time outside school drawing and creating storylines. He uses recurring characters with unique personalities and humor, all to convey a message about life. Whether showing a personal theme of a common, wide-felt idea, Connelly shows family situations or other typical aspects of American lifestyle in his drawings.
“One of my favorite comics I made involved three of the characters….I just feel like that specific one completely conveyed their personalities that I have tried to show,” said Connelly. The comic he describes shows the characters on a car ride, waiting arrival to their destination, relatable for many families who have endured each other’s company during long trips.
Connelly, though quiet in classes, often impresses teachers with his talented drawings and has used them with school projects for years. He began putting serious effort into his drawings in elementary school, when he realized he enjoyed it and could work hard to improve his skill, outshining other students.
Typically, Connelly’s favorite work is in his comics, though when he does not have a storyline in mind, he simply draws using whatever materials available to him. He mostly works with oil crayons and charcoal in his art classes.
“It’s a lot of fun if you know the basics of what you’re drawing. You can take it all from your imagination,” said Connelly. “Most of my work has been in art classes, where I’ve refined my skill and learned a lot.” Connelly is currently taking Honors Art 2, with Ms. Wachta.
As Connelly takes part in local and national contests, much of his artwork has been featured online. Cartoon replications from popular shows like Ed, Edd n’ Eddy has gained him recognition from television websites, including Cartoonnetwork.com. Locally, Connelly’s art has taken second prize at the South Shore Arts Festival in past years; last year he received 2nd prize for a charcoal drawing of a jester.
Following high school, Connelly plans to attend college and learn to work in television animation. Eventually, he hopes to create storyboards and work on a cartoon show, which would feature much of his artwork.
Joe Connelly has surely found his outlet of creativity in the art he expresses with such vivid complexity and accuracy. His artwork and skill continues to excel, leading him to a bright future.