A fascination with art that began in childhood has now earned Sikeston Depot Museum Regional High School Art Show honors for recent Malden High School graduate Savannah Crank.
Crank was named the winner of the annual regional art competition held at the museum, where students from across the area displayed their work. Her winning piece, titled “Ophanium,” is a printmaking work created with ink and a linoleum carving process.
“I’m going to try and do something in art,” Crank said of her plans following graduation. “I’ve been thinking about being a tattoo artist, really doing something else on the side, but that’s my main goal for now.”
Crank explained that the piece was inspired by angelic imagery, specifically a type of angel known as an ophanim.
“This is the certain species of angel it is,” she said. “So it’s supposed to be an actual angel, like there’s a seraphim, and this is the ophanim.”
The artwork was created through a printmaking technique taught in her art classes.
“They give you a linoleum board that you get carving tools for,” Crank said. “You trace down the sketch you’ve made, and you cut it out. Then you get ink, put paper on it once you ink it, press down on it, pull the paper, and it’s there.”
While she said students complete printmaking projects regularly in class, Crank noted that the creative process behind each piece remains personal and evolving.
“I see where it steers me,” she said of her artistic approach. “A lot of times when I sketch, I don’t like it, and sketches aren’t supposed to be perfect. What you need to do is get the sketch out and think of more ideas to add on to it.”
Crank said her love for art began at an early age and was inspired by her father, Michael Crank.
“When I was very young, my father, he was the one who inspired me to draw, because he loved to draw too,” she said. “The moment I saw him do it, I’ve been doing it ever since.”
According to museum board president Leanne Hough, supporting young artists is one of the goals of the annual exhibition.
“We just want to continue to inspire them to do their work from their minds and for their careers,” Hough said.
Janice Matthews, secretary of the museum board, also helped coordinate the event, which provides area students with an opportunity to showcase their artistic talents publicly.
