For senior Dom Trolio, art has been an integral part of his young adult life. “Art has always been a place where I could just be myself and let my imagination out,” Dom explained. “My mom was into art, so from a young age, I started doing it and found that I was naturally good at it. Throughout middle school and high school, I really enjoyed it and kept taking classes. Now I’m in Advanced Studio Art, and I’m glad that I stuck with it.”
Throughout his artistic career at KO, Dom has explored a variety of different mediums, most notably charcoal and pencil sketching. “I’ve done charcoal,” he said. “I usually sketch a lot just with pencil. I do painting sometimes; this year I painted on leather, which was cool. But usually, I stick with pencil, colored pencil, and charcoal.”
Dom then referenced a piece from two years ago that displayed his skills and that he is particularly proud of. “I did a picture of the soccer player Neymar,” he said. “I’d say that was probably my favorite. That was with charcoal.”
Dom, who has attended KO since sixth grade, spoke to the guidance he’s received from his teachers during his time here and credits his continued success to their tutelage. “In Middle School, I had Ms. Nicholson all three years, and she helped me out a lot because she’s passionate about teaching art,” he said. “She kept me into it and kept me excited about it. When I got to high school, I had Mr. McDonald my first two years. I was more of a drawer and he’s very good at drawing, so he helped me out a lot. I have Ms. Burnett this year. She’s fun to be around in class, and she brings good vibes.”
Aside from art, Dom is passionate about playing baseball, which he will continue in college at Seton Hall University. In his free time, some other hobbies he enjoys include watching movies, TV shows, and sports as a whole.
Dom reflected on the impact that making art has on his life. “I do it really just for personal pleasure,” he said. “It’s definitely something that I enjoy doing and that I’m good at, and it takes my mind off of stuff. So, it’s really just a passion at this point.”
Though he’s not planning on making a career out of his art, Dom anticipates continuing it as a hobby throughout college. “I was hoping to take some art courses, not major in it or anything, but just find a way to keep doing it.”
We wish Dom the best of luck with his future artistic endeavors!
