Art competition win gives Greater Latrobe student hope for professional career

When Bella Muir found out her drawing was selected to be published in Celebrating Art.com’s Summer 2023 National Anthology book, she “felt really proud.”

Muir, 17, of Latrobe, a junior at Greater Latrobe Senior High School and member of the high school’s National Art Honor Society, decided two years ago that she wants to become a professional artist.

“I’ve always really enjoyed doing artwork since I was little,” she said.

Her charcoal human figure drawing titled “Sitting Artist” was the one chosen for the publication, and she created it during the 2022-23 school year in Studio Art II — an intermediate drawing and painting class taught at the high school by Lindsey Page.

Muir explained that the students were tasked with finding a professional photograph online to create an image of a figure in an “odd position,” an exercise to focus on the human figure.

“Since I’m really inspired to be an artist, I chose a girl sitting down working on paints while she gets distracted,” Muir said.

Page, of Ligonier, said Muir’s work is “technical, expressive and whimsical,” and Muir prefers to work in a “realistic and naturalistic style.”

“I am so happy to see such a kind, hardworking and artistic student get the acknowledgement that she deserves,” Page said. “As an art teacher, it’s just amazing to see your student’s talent, passion and dedication be celebrated.”

When Muir realized she wanted to pursue art as a career, she said she decided to start putting her work out there more frequently, looking up possible contests for anyone under the age of 18.

For the Celebrating Art.com contest, artists could pick any medium and submit any subject matter. However, her preferred mediums are painting and drawing, she said.

Muir was “pretty excited” when she found out the news that she was being recognized for her work.

“I was really happy,” Muir said. “I had gotten off of a really long shift, and then I saw my email with the award saying I got picked.”

Ultimately, the win gave her hope for her intended career path.

“A lot of people say it’s really hard to make it as an artist, and then when I won, I felt really proud of myself,” Muir said. “I can actually do this and make something of myself.”