From the stage to the courts to the art room, Taylor Johnson demonstrates amazing passion and dedication in everything she does. That is why she is our Unsung Hero for Summer 2015. We sat down with Abington’s own star artist and asked her a few questions.

Let’s discuss your artwork. How did you become interested in art in the first place?

My dad used to draw all the time when I was younger, and I looked up to him and wanted to be just like him. We would play drawing games and I fell in love with the idea of expressing myself in such a unique way. As I grew up, I realized I could use art to overcome the obstacles that life throws at me.

Do you see art as an important aspect of your life, academic or otherwise?

I can honestly say that I don’t know where I’d be without art. I’ve been able to experience amazing opportunities and achieve awards that I would have never thought possible. Everyone has that one skill that shapes them and makes them who they are. For me, that is art.

Are there any pieces you’ve created that you remember vividly or made you really proud? What makes your own art special to you?

My recent Dubai painting makes me extremely proud because it won a scholastic gold key, and I’ve been striving to earn that my whole high school life. I put a lot of time and effort into it and every time I look at it I know what I am capable of. My art is special to me because it’s my own original ideas and it expresses my thoughts and feelings. All of my pieces show different emotions and tones depending on how I want my audience to interpret it.

Aside from art, what other activities do you like to involve yourself with?

I have been on the tennis team for three years. I also participated in the drama program this year as well as math team, peer leaders, and the student arts magazine.

Speaking of tennis, how did you feel the season went this year?

This season went well considering we lost our top players. The whole team has had a lot of fun and gained new skills for next season.

Do you have any particular classes that you enjoy or are looking forward to next year?

Art, of course! I am looking forward to taking AP Art next year because it will challenge me and prepare me for the art classes that I will be taking in college.

Segueing into a different art form, how did you enjoy being involved in “the Addams Family” this year?

I absolutely loved it! The people involved were amazing and have so much talent. It was so much fun to perform and the result showed all of our hard work and dedication. The makeup we had to do for the ancestor characters was difficult, but everyone looked incredible.

What are your plans for the future?

As of right now, I am looking at art colleges to major in animation. Ever since I was little, I knew I was going to do something with art and now I can finally move toward that dream.

This is a little informal, but in honor of our late (former) editor Kim Phan I would like to ask, ‘Taylor Johnson, what would you do for a Klondike Bar?’

To honor Kim “Weenie” Phan, I would sky dive off a cliff into a shark tank, fight the sharks, find the key to a box, fight ninjas to get to the box, unlock the box and find the Klondike Bar. In actuality I would buy one for a dollar…