Members of the Williston and greater local community came together to celebrate the artwork of senior Sam Yunes.
On April 3, senior day student Sam Yunes got a chance to show off her talent at a networking event/exhibit held at Max’s Tavern, connected to the Basketball Hall of Fame, in Springfield, Mass. The event displayed a large variety of Sam’s work.
Sam has always had a passion for the arts, although it wasn’t until her eighth grade year when she began taking her work more seriously. She describes herself as a “multi-media” artist; her work includes digital drawing, painting, charcoal, chalk, and wire work.
Sam, a senior from Southampton, Mass., has been at Williston since middle school. She plans to go to Skidmore College, in Saratoga Springs, next year. She says she is interested in Political Science and English, as well as Art.
One of Sam’s most popular pieces was an intricate wire sculpture tree. The piece weaved together different color metal wires forming the tree trunk and branches. The leaves of the tree were replaced by an assortment of colorful crystals.
“My favorite piece was the tree she made,” Dore Adeosun, a senior, explained. “The way she twisted the wires together added a really cool effect and the crystals were a really nice touch.”
Sam also displayed a lot of her drawings. Some of her most popular pieces included a digital piece she made using a digital paintbrush which displayed a pomegranate as well as a piece that showcased a lit match.
Senior Hana Naughton attended the event with Dore, and noted that the match piece was her favorite.
“I love everything that Sam does; she’s such a versatile artist and can work with any medium! One of my favorite pieces she showcased was her match piece,” Hana explained. “It’s a lit match next to one that has just been put out; the smoke is so detailed and realistic.”
Sam took two trimesters of AP Art as well as Williston Scholars Art. Since her time at Williston, she has had the opportunity to immerse herself in many different types of art.
Wendy Staples, a teacher of Visual and Performing Arts, recognized Sam’s eagerness to learn new things.
“When I first began to know her, I had her in my drawing class and she was primarily an illustrator,” Staples explained. “This year she is diving into sculpture and mixed media. She has worked with wires, plaster castings, and plaster strips.”
Sam’s interest in the arts started before she can even remember.
“I just have always loved art,” she said. “But I have never really shown people my art or gotten into it or shown people my work until this year.”
Sam not only uses art as a means of expression but also a way to cope with day-to-day stress. Working, Sam says, can be so encompassing that she’ll forget everything around her.
“Its very therapeutic for me. It’s something I can easily get lost in to the point where friends and family will need to remind me to eat,” she explained. “I spend hours and hours doing my work without ever realizing how much time has gone by.”
While at Sam’s show, many people requested special commission pieces, including one person who asked her to design a tattoo, and another who requested she design a memorial. Hana was proud of her fellow senior and enjoyed seeing all of Sam’s hard work pay off.
“What I enjoyed most was watching Sam interact with potential customers and watching their eyes widen as they flipped through her portfolio,” she said. “It was so cool to see her get the recognition and praise she deserves.”