Friday, May 23, 2025
Baldwin High School student Connor Markus speaks with the Herald about having his artwork selected for exhibition at The Heckscher Museum.
Q: How did it feel to have your artwork selected for “Long Island’s Best Young Artists at The Heckscher Museum”? What was your initial reaction when you found out?
A: I felt very honored being selected for Long Island’s Best Young Artists at The Heckscher Museum. I was in the middle of class when I received the Email, and I was absolutely shocked. I started thinking about all of the possibilities that could come out of this and how great of an opportunity it was.
Q: Can you describe the piece you submitted for the exhibition? What inspired you?
A: The piece I submitted was my personal representation of artificial intelligence. I started sketching out a woman who I wanted to look like a robot, but with some human features. I made her smoking a cigarette to show how artificial intelligence can mock human behavior. I wanted to create something that had a relation to a problem going on in the world today. I was inspired by the surge in Ai videos and images I had been seeing in the media. I thought this would be a good thing to base my piece off of because it was something unique that I had never seen anyone base their art off of.
Q: How has the high school’s fine arts program, and your teachers, helped you develop as an artist?
A: Baldwin high school’s fine arts program has helped me in many ways to develop as an artist. I’ve had the pleasure of being able to participate in multiple exhibitions in the two years I’ve been in Baldwin high school. I’ve also met incredible art teachers who I’ve built connections with and understood my talent and determination. I was able to be selected to have a copy of my art in a family Court house permanently. Heckscher has been the biggest opportunity I’ve been able to achieve. It would be nothing without help from Baldwin high school’s fine arts program.
Q: How do you think your selection will influence your future as an artist or your academic journey?
A: My selection will change the trajectory of my future as an artist. I will be able to say that I’ve had my art featured in a museum, which is an amazing thing to put on future resumes, and it’s something I can say I’m very proud of. The change that it will have on my academic journey will also be positive. It’s another great thing to show colleges and will bring me one step closer to obtaining the future I’ve always dreamed of.
Q: What advice would you give to other young artists who may be hesitant to submit their work to exhibitions like this one?
A: One piece of advice I would give to artist who may be hesitant to submit their work to an exhibition like this one is to not think about the negatives. I know it can be scary because you don’t know if you are going to be wasting your time of If you’ll fail. You have to remember that there is always a chance and if you don’t try you will never know if you could have done it. That thought will eat away at you if you never put yourself out there. There is absolutely nothing to lose and you could score yourself an amazing opportunity so don’t short yourself and just give it a shot!
