Freshman Taylor Becht has always enjoyed art and has been creating from a young age. As a child, she would spend her time drawing with pencils, coloring with markers and making cardboard cutouts of various objects. Since then, her art has grown, and it has become one of her biggest passions. She wanted a way to express herself, but music and writing just were not a great fit for her.

“I knew I had a lot to say, but I can’t play music that well, and I can only write so well. Art has been a much better way to express myself, so I knew I had to keep doing it. There’s just so much you can say in something so simple. I hope I can do it forever,” said Becht.

Becht currently enjoys painting and drawing with pencils, but she doesn’t limit her art to just that. She is also starting a new project with a stitching art experiment. She makes designs by using a cross-stitching technique that can be used to put on clothing or other materials.

“A lot of my inspiration comes from social media. There are so many people out there with stories to tell, and it inspires me to create so much. Nature and life in general inspire me. The pain a human goes through is incredible, and it’s even crazier to think someone else has it worse. That inspires me to create, whether it’s about love, hate, misery or maybe even nothing,” said Becht.

In addition to art, Becht is also involved in dance at En Pointe in Bedford, Indiana. She started taking classes a few years ago. In the past, she has taken jazz and lyrical dance classes, but she is now taking a beginner pointe class and a ballet class.

“I like to dance to express myself. I feel free and happy when I dance. I especially like pointe ballet because although it can be painful, watching yourself improve and grow is so amazing. Overcoming the pain and learning a new art to make something beautiful is rewarding,” said Becht.

Story by Michael Hannon