As Goldie Grube ’23 looked over the top of her easel, she could see the July sun beaming through her bedroom window, illuminating her canvas. She pulled out her acrylic paints, itching to recreate the scene she saw. Grube said she felt inspired for the first time in a while.

Grube said she found experimentation with painting styles over summer break exciting, noting that time off of school allowed her to hone in on her painting skills.

“Summer break allows me to have more time to give to the creative aspects of my life,” Grube said. “My days are generally less busy, and I’m able to have more control over how I spend my time.”

Additionally, Grube said having less academic stress allowed for personal growth beyond her artistic work. She said while the significant progress in her painting skills is rewarding, the realization that she can create art independently is what motivates her.

“I love to see the physical and obvious progress that is made most sessions I paint,” Grube said. “Finishing an art piece always gives me an immense sense of accomplishment that I truly don’t get anywhere else, and one of the reasons I think it feels so special is because the process and creation of the work were wholly generated by me.”

Grube said painting alone gives her a space to do something she enjoys without the external pressures of the world around her; she said she views painting as a creative outlet and stress reliever.

“Art means an incredible amount to me,” Grube said. “The process of creating art has always been an extremely cathartic activity that allows me to process everything that’s going on in my life. I generally paint alone, especially over summer break, and it just provides me with a time without pressure or expectation.”