At the root of a community is the people in it. Each cycle, one student from our community is chosen to be our root. Jade Holmes is a senior and president of the Redwood Art Honors Society.

Hannah Herbst: So, I heard that you recently started the Redwood Art Honors Society. Tell me a bit about that.

Jade Holmes: Well, it was a thing back in the day and I joined it sophomore year. And then last year I was going to join it again but everyone had graduated, so it wasn’t really a thing. I decided to bring it back this year. I had some people who wanted to join and so I made it happen. We make art for the school. A lot of the mosaics around school are by the Art Honors Society.

HH: That’s awesome. In the past, what have been some things around campus that you’ve personally helped out with?

JH: Our main project last year was doing paintings for the cafeteria. They haven’t been put up yet. We also did an art and bake sale for the Ukrainian Red Cross. Right now – not trying to spoil anything – we are working on merch for the Art Department. 

HH: Do you have any hopes or big plans for the Art Honors Society this year?

JH: Most of the people in the Art Honors Society are seniors. And I hope that at the club fair, we get some sophomores or someone who will carry on the legacy so it doesn’t end like it did last year. Maybe on the docket this year … Do you know how in the girl’s art bathroom there’s that mosaic? 

HH: That’s my favorite bathroom!

JH: It is beautiful. Well, there’s a mosaic that’s in the boys’ bathroom upstairs. Ms. Maxwell hates it. She despises it and it’s creepy. I’ve seen it. We went in there to take pictures of it after school with Ms. Maxwell. Disclaimer, there was no one in the bathroom. We might team up with some ceramics people to do a new mosaic. We’re probably going to be working on that a lot this semester.

HH: That’s super cool. As an artist at Redwood, what’s your niche?

JH: I usually focus on acrylic painting. I also do a lot of collage, mixed media stuff with magazine cutouts and stuff.

HH: In your ideal world, what would pursuing art in your future look like?

JH: In my picture perfect world, if we’re going that far, I’m just painting on the countryside drinking tea. Ideally, there’d be a Starbucks near me. Realistically, I’m probably going to go into graphic design.

HH: Well, both of those sound like great options. Is there anything else about yourself or what you’re involved in that you want to share?

JH: I mean, I try to involve myself in different arts. I sing, sometimes I play the guitar and I act in plays occasionally.

HH: Do you have any musical influences?

JH: Much love to Taylor Swift. She is God. I love Fiona Apple. Mitski! I recommend her new album to the whole student body.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.