Revere High Senior Kathryn Ciolkevich Nominated for Scholastic Art Award

senior Kathryn Ciolkevich bleeds creativity and the world is her canvas, her film and her drawing board. The 18-year-old has been drawing for as long as she can remember, and she has even tried her hand at painting and photography.

She was recently nominated for an American Vision Award from Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, for a photograph called "The Door to Your Dream." Her piece was part of a larger photography portfolio, which won a Gold Key (equivalent to a first place award). An American Vision Award win is equivalent to a Best in Show, Kathryn said.

Her piece will move on to the nationals in New York City, and she'll find out if she's a winner in March. (See her piece in the media section of this article)

Until then, here are five things you should know about Kathryn:

1. Kathryn enjoys photography, painting and drawing. She is inspired by things she knows or likes, such as her boyfriend Adam, who has been the muse for many of her pieces.

She describes how she found "The Door to your Dream" photo: "I was on a cruise vacation in the Bahamas and while we were in Nassau, we decided to walk through the city to get to a resort instead of taking a taxi. We walked through an impoverished part of the town and I found this burnt down building. The whole thing was destroyed and the only thing left was an upright chair. When you looked at the door, behind it you could see a cruise ship, which was called 'The Dream.' It was just weird to see that in all the poverty of the town."

2. What Kathryn loves most about art is "you have the freedom to express whatever you want." She uses art to convey emotions such as capturing her boyfriend's happiness, or a general sadness. She uses photography to capture the moment.

"I have been drawing for as long as I can remember," she smiled. "I can remember my first drawing back to 2 years old. My parents have always encouraged it."

3. Her favorite tragedy movie is The Painted Veil. Her favorite comedy is Role Models.

4. After high school, and if she is accepted, Kathryn hopes to attend the University of Cincinnati to major in biology with a focus in pre-dental. Why no art, you ask?

"I've always wanted to become something bigger than myself," Kathryn said. "I've always wanted to be a doctor because I love taking care of people. And orthodontics is an art in itself. There's a lot of dexterity and attention to detail."

5. Kathryn's key to awesomeness: "I keep myself sane by laughing at myself," she said. "I laugh at my own jokes, even when they're awful."