High School Student Shows Off Artistic Talent

Know a great kid who made Eagle Scout or did your local soccer team take the championship? They may be our next Patch Whiz Kid honoree.

Each week, Port Washington-Saukville Patch will seek suggestions from readers for individual kids, youth groups, teens, and even sports teams that wow us with their accomplishments.

We want to hear about these amazing children and teens, and select one each week as the Patch Whiz Kid.  Submit your nomination in our comment box below or e-mail the information to Editor Lyssa Beyer.

Here's our first Whiz Kid:

Name:  Lena Hansen
Age: 16
School:  Port Washington High School
Accomplishments: During the last several years, Lena has spent most of her time drawing and painting.  Her specialty is realistic pencil, pastel and charcoal drawings.  She hopes to study art in college, beginning next year after she graduates from Port Washington High School.
Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness: To help pay for art supplies, Lena has been taking commissions from dog lovers to do portraits of their pets.

Last fall, Lena was chosen to participate in John Michael Kohler Arts Center’s  "Menagerie of the Mind."  The Sheboygan exhibit showed works by 75 emerging artists from around the world.  Lena’s "Lily the Liger," a pencil drawing of a mixed tiger-lion cub, was featured in the exhibit program.

Currently, Lena is participating in the high school exhibit "Thinking About Art" at Port Harbor Center’s Gallery in downtown Port Washington.

Lena believes that hundreds of hours of studying and practicing drawing techniques has helped her become a better artist.  She also credits her high school art teacher, Jane Suddendorf, with providing tough challenges and guidance.