Elkhart Times

A Utica High School art student is already lighting up her future with success in advanced college-level work.

 

Senior Kaytlin Cleveland, a dual enrollment student at College at Creative Studies, has had her product design for a new floor lamp selected for this week’s prestigious Industry Day– an honor usually reserved for feature college juniors and seniors.

 

“Industry Day is a huge deal - it’s where students get jobs and internships from companies,” Cleveland said. “So just being able to actually be there is so amazing.”

 

The work on display will be has a unique design that Cleveland created from scratch. She made multiple sketches and paper mock ups to arrive at the final design, which she then built and wired into a working lamp.

 

“The biggest challenge was constructing the legs. My first attempt failed and the legs actually split in half,” she said. “I made some adjustments, and the second try was successful. Once the actual stand was completed the rest was smooth sailing.”

 

Cleveland, who has been enrolled at CCS since her junior year, has been a standout art student throughout her Utica Community Schools career. In particular, it was during her junior high school years that her love of art developed.  

 

“I have had a lot of help with art through my years at UCS schools, but, Mr. (Chris) Brunson at Shelby Junior High School really has gone above and beyond to help me succeed,” she said. “He has taught me so much in sculpting, sketching and just doing anything related to art. I thank him for always supporting me and helping me grow as an artist and designer.”  

 

While Cleveland has moved on to high school and now college, she said Brunson has continued to support and guide her.

 

"At her core Kaytlin Cleveland is an exceptionally talented artist, but what really elevates her work to another level is Kaytlin's pursuit of creating with new media, learning new techniques and desire to advance her development as an artist,” Brunson said.  

                                                                                         

Cleveland plans to continue full time next year at CCS to pursue a career in product designs that promote sustainability.

 

“I believe that I need a purpose for designing products and I believe my purpose is to design products that won’t harm the environment,” she said. “I want to make sure that the impact I have on the planet will only be a good one. Change needs to be made, and I hope I can help do that.” 

Original source can be found here.