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As a graduating student of the iRAP Visual and Media Arts program, Abby Smith has left an indelible mark on Sacred Heart’s Arts community. A dedicated member of the Arts Council, Abby has consistently demonstrated her passion and leadership in both Visual Arts and Media Arts. Her talent has been showcased at Newmarket’s Arts Night for two consecutive years, and her commitment to community engagement was most evident through her powerful collaboration on the Newmarket Food Pantry mural, a project born from the school’s Community Arts course. Abby’s creativity, drive, and impact have not gone unnoticed—this year, she was honoured as the 2025 recipient of the Excellence in Media Arts Award. We sat down with Abby to reflect on her journey, her inspirations, and what’s next.
Congratulations on your graduation, Abby! Could you please tell us where you’ll be attending university and which program you’ve chosen to study?
I am going to Western University for the Art Studio program.
What inspired you to pursue this particular area of study, and how do you see it connecting to your experiences in high school?
Before high school, I had no idea that I would be interested in pursuing a career in the arts. Of course, I knew I loved art, but not to this extent. However, after grade 10, I could not envision myself pursuing anything else. The classes I took, such as photography, visual arts, media arts, and com tech, helped me realize just how much I enjoyed this type of work.
You’ve been deeply involved in both Visual Arts and Media Arts throughout your time at Sacred Heart. What have been some of the most meaningful projects or moments for you in these courses?
Grade 11 advanced my visual arts skills the most, and now painting is one of my favourite ways to create art. Before that class, I wasn’t very skilled, and I didn’t enjoy it much. However, after working on a few painting projects, everything just clicked, and I am very grateful for that class. In media arts, I was introduced to digital painting. I had always wanted to try it, but every time I attempted it, it made me want to set my iPad on fire. Then, again, it just clicked when we were digitally painting some apples.
As an iRAP student, you’ve had unique opportunities to go deeper into your artistic practice. How has being in iRAP shaped your identity as an artist and student?
The most I gained from IRAP was a sense of community. I made so many friends through it, and about half of my friends are in IRAP. Being in IRAP made my pursuit of art as a career much more serious because I was held accountable by everyone around me.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced as an iRAP student, and how did you overcome them?
It was probably the fact that it was so different from what I had expected. The way it was described led me to believe it would help me integrate art into my other non-art classes. However, I never found that to be true. Ultimately, it was about adjusting my expectations of what this program would be like.
What are some of your goals or dreams for your post-secondary journey, both personally and artistically?
My goal is to live in a cabin in the middle of the woods. Artistically, I aim to become a freelance artist. I would take commissions, run a shop selling items like stickers and prints, and collaborate with brands on social media. I want to earn a living through my art.
You’ve received the Senior Media Arts Award this year—congratulations! What does this recognition mean to you personally?
It feels very satisfying because it was one of my goals to win an art award during my time at Sacred Heart. I completed 11 IRAP courses, so it appears that my hard work has been well rewarded.
Looking back on your Media Arts journey, is there a specific piece or project that best represents your growth and development?
It was probably the character design project we completed near the end of grade 11. It combined everything I loved: character design and digital painting. It was the perfect summary of the skills I had developed up to that point.
As you prepare to leave Sacred Heart, what advice would you give to younger Arts students who are just starting their journey?
For every assignment and project, don’t hesitate to ask your teachers for their thoughts and advice. You can still decide whether to accept their suggestions, but often it can significantly enhance whatever you are working on. It also makes the classes much more interesting if you engage in discussions with others and seek their opinions.
What will you miss most about being a part of the Arts community here at Sacred Heart?
As I mentioned earlier, the sense of community is truly significant in iRAP. Not only will I miss my fellow students, but also the teachers who have guided me over the past four years. The arts department indeed boasts some of the best teachers, and I greatly admire many of them.