Savannah Tech student and Hinesville resident Jennifer Marshall is quiet but passionate about her art, and that passion is on display for Liberty County students to see every day.
Marshall, an alumnae of the LCHS Art Club, was contacted by Dr. Madie Orange to create a school banner, which turned into another banner and yet another, and now school walls throughout the district bear the results of her not-so-hidden talents.
“The first time I started drawing, I was around four years old and my favorite show, “Sailor Moon”, was just coming on,” Marshall said. “I started trying to draw all the characters.”
Focusing on her studies and pursuing new avenues in art while still providing banners for schools is a singular accomplishment for Marshall, who has worked hard to overcome some “differences that present unique challenges to her learning process,” said her mother, Denise Marshall. “She has to manage school and art, and she works hard to do well at Savannah Tech so she can go to the Art Institute in Florida.”
Denise Marshall said community members who appreciate her daughter’s talents are understanding of her time commitments. “They take into consideration that she has to do these things between class time,” she said. “I try to make sure she’s comfortable with letting people know [Jennifer’s limitations].”
Marshall’s interest in anime drawing has grown tremendously since her early childhood, and today she is focused on developing characters and storylines for characters in an anime version of the classic tale “Alice in Wonderland.” Her Mad Hatter, she said, isn’t like the traditional character — “he’s kind of cool and hip,” she said.
Marshall said just focusing on one character’s costume “can take the whole day.” Her friends are just as enthusiastic about the characters, and have served as inspiration for some of their personalities. She’s not sure if she’ll one day publish her comics online to sell or just have one or two copies made for friends and family.
Marshall’s latest interest is in making “fur suits,” which are either whole-body or partial renditions of animals, done with a creative twist. “I started working on those last year when I saw a convention on YouTube,” she said. From there, Marshall learned from more videos how to piece together suits complete with head, tail, paws and teeth. “The first one I made came out OK — he looks angry and his head’s really big,” she said with a smile.
Marshall hopes to add more artistic skills to her resume. She is especially interested in learning airbrush techniques and graphic design. Marshall’s mother said an internship or tutorial program would be welcome. She said she knows of local companies who do this type of work but is hoping someone will reach out to volunteer their talents to train Marshall and other talented students like her.
In the meantime, Marshall herself continues to share her skills with those who are interested. She’s completed a T-shirt for the YMCA and also likes to teach children how to draw. “I love to work with kids,” she said.
Marshall’s mother encourages her community service efforts as much as she encourages the teen’s artistic drive. “It’s always good to give back,” she said.
Marshall, an alumnae of the LCHS Art Club, was contacted by Dr. Madie Orange to create a school banner, which turned into another banner and yet another, and now school walls throughout the district bear the results of her not-so-hidden talents.
“The first time I started drawing, I was around four years old and my favorite show, “Sailor Moon”, was just coming on,” Marshall said. “I started trying to draw all the characters.”
Focusing on her studies and pursuing new avenues in art while still providing banners for schools is a singular accomplishment for Marshall, who has worked hard to overcome some “differences that present unique challenges to her learning process,” said her mother, Denise Marshall. “She has to manage school and art, and she works hard to do well at Savannah Tech so she can go to the Art Institute in Florida.”
Denise Marshall said community members who appreciate her daughter’s talents are understanding of her time commitments. “They take into consideration that she has to do these things between class time,” she said. “I try to make sure she’s comfortable with letting people know [Jennifer’s limitations].”
Marshall’s interest in anime drawing has grown tremendously since her early childhood, and today she is focused on developing characters and storylines for characters in an anime version of the classic tale “Alice in Wonderland.” Her Mad Hatter, she said, isn’t like the traditional character — “he’s kind of cool and hip,” she said.
Marshall said just focusing on one character’s costume “can take the whole day.” Her friends are just as enthusiastic about the characters, and have served as inspiration for some of their personalities. She’s not sure if she’ll one day publish her comics online to sell or just have one or two copies made for friends and family.
Marshall’s latest interest is in making “fur suits,” which are either whole-body or partial renditions of animals, done with a creative twist. “I started working on those last year when I saw a convention on YouTube,” she said. From there, Marshall learned from more videos how to piece together suits complete with head, tail, paws and teeth. “The first one I made came out OK — he looks angry and his head’s really big,” she said with a smile.
Marshall hopes to add more artistic skills to her resume. She is especially interested in learning airbrush techniques and graphic design. Marshall’s mother said an internship or tutorial program would be welcome. She said she knows of local companies who do this type of work but is hoping someone will reach out to volunteer their talents to train Marshall and other talented students like her.
In the meantime, Marshall herself continues to share her skills with those who are interested. She’s completed a T-shirt for the YMCA and also likes to teach children how to draw. “I love to work with kids,” she said.
Marshall’s mother encourages her community service efforts as much as she encourages the teen’s artistic drive. “It’s always good to give back,” she said.