Nickiesha Allen has set the standard which others follow at Tarrant High School. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer

Nickiesha Allen, a fifth-form student at Tarrant High School, is on her way to a career in the visual arts.

Allen is the school's top achiever in art and has won two trophies and certificates at Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) national finals. She got two third-place titles in the food-safety poster and economy poster competitions at the JCDC finals.

"I love art because it helps me to express myself in different ways," she told The Gleaner.

Allen believes she inherited her skills from her father, who is an artist. She said she has had an inclination for drawing and painting since she was five years old at Half-Way Tree Primary School.

When the coursework got harder in high school, Allen met the challenge head on, thriving on the fuel of artistic passion.

"I always knew that I would reach far in art because I couldn't wait to reach the level to specialise in it," Allen said.

Distinction

She hopes to move on to the Edna Manley School of the Visual and Performing Arts.

"There is no doubt that I will be getting a distinction in art and I will be passing the other five subjects that I will be doing in CSEC (Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate), so my step from here is to start my career path at Edna Manley," she added.

The high achiever says her tutors always give her creative licence and space to generate out-of-the-box ideas while other students are given assistance.

"I sometimes feel lonely and feel like I want a little attention, even though I know I can do it, but I understand that the teacher is moulding my mind for tertiary-level education," she told The Gleaner.

Despite her interest in the subject, for the course she faced numerous challenges but she said she hung on to faith.

"I started SBA (School-Based Assessment) from grade 10 and when I reached grade 11 to complete the others, rats bit the pieces so I had to do them over," the student lamented.

The school was plagued by rats, which damaged her her artwork which was made with flour paste.

Allen said she has also faced the challenge of finding funds to buy course equipment.

"Art is one of the most expensive courses in the school and the school doesn't provide us with all the things we need, so I sometimes had difficulties," she added.

Meanwhile, Patrice Murphy, the art teacher at Tarrant, describes Allen as hard-working, determined and goal-oriented.

"She is a strong visual arts student who goes the extra mile without a quarrel and she has continued to maintain a high level of work over the years," Murphy stated.

Some of Allen's art pieces were on display at the school's open day on Tuesday. Among these were bedroom mats with matching slippers.

Principal of Tarrant, Lorna Gardner, said the aim of the open day was to change the negative image of the institution by showcasing students' work.

"The students have been excelling in different areas, so we think it's time to showcase them to the public," the principal said.

nadisha.hunter@gleanerjm.com