By Anna Halfman

Petra Sarkisian ’23 has been painting at Winsor since Class II but has been an artist long before then. You’ve likely been awestruck by her paintings in the halls, or perhaps you’ve seen her hard at work in the art studio. Regardless of where you’ve seen Petra’s work, her talent and passion are clear. The Banner recently had the pleasure of speaking with Petra about her time making art at Winsor.

What type of art do you make?

For my AP portfolio, making a series of oil paintings was a lot of fun, and for senior year I definitely want to do shorter projects with lower stakes. I started this year working with pastel pencils and also really love printmaking. 

Why and how did you first start making art?

My mom is a painter, so I’ve been making art with her my entire life. She’s always encouraged me to continue making art and helped me improve. 

How have Winsor art classes and teachers impacted your art?

I’ve taken so many Winsor art classes since middle school, and all of those opportunities to try different styles of art have definitely helped me as an artist. The same goes for all the Arts faculty; Ms. Harrison was my advisor in sophomore year, and we were especially close, but all of my art teachers have made such an impact on me.

What are your favorite pieces of art that you’ve made? 

My favorite piece in my AP portfolio was one of the last paintings I made, a painting of oil paint tubes. I started the portfolio with an image of oil paints and I returned to the same subject matter to close out the portfolio, and I’ve always loved the way that painting turned out. As for post-AP, I made a pastel portrait of my dog, which definitely holds a special place in my heart. 

What is your advice to Winsor students wanting to pursue art?

Do it. Especially after your art requirement is filled and you’re wondering if having extra frees is worth giving up art, I would definitely encourage anyone to keep taking art classes. In my experience, time to relax and create art can be as helpful as a free period in managing stress, and it’s always been something I look forward to in my days.

How are you hoping to continue art in the future?

Even if I’m not planning on going to an art school, I know doing art in college will be so important to my mental health and well-being. I definitely want to pursue art in some capacity, although I’m not sure how big. Regardless, art will always be a part of my life.

The Banner wishes Petra the best of luck in her future artistic endeavors and can’t wait to see what she creates next.

Responses edited for brevity and clarity.