Superintendent’s Artist of the Week: Luisa Andrade

Sanfordville Elementary School fourth-grader Luisa Andrade loves sculpting and drawing and sewing and singing and playing the flute. Why? Because she has fun doing all of those activities.

“I’ve always loved art,” Luisa said. “I started art when I was around 4. It was fun for me and my mother always encouraged me. Art is my passion, and sewing.”

Luisa’s recent art projects include plaster sculptures of a blue shark and red lava man. She created the shark for the Sanfordville Art Club and the man for art class.

“I was just thinking of sharks that day so I decided to make this,” Luisa said while holding her sculpture. “And I’ve always loved the color blue, any type of blue. At first, we started to put tinfoil together, then put layers of plaster around it and finally we had to paint it.”

Luisa also enjoys drawing. Animals, especially dogs, are her favorite subjects. She sometimes gets inspiration from watching “Draw So Cute” videos on YouTube. She followed another YouTube video to learn how to draw a very realistic 3D eyeball for her father’s business, GC Optics in Warwick.

“This is my first year teaching art to Luisa, and it has been so wonderful to watch her create,” said Sanfordville art teacher Leah Mednick. “The first day I met her, she told me how much she loved art and pointed to her Keith Haring shirt. We happened to be learning about Keith Haring that same day. We were both excited about this coincidence.”

“Luisa is a student who is hardworking and passionate about her artwork,” Ms. Mednick said. “Luisa’s attention to detail and focus shows how she carefully observes the world around her, which is one of the reasons she is such a great artist. I’m so grateful that I get to see Luisa grow as an artist.”

Luisa has taken art lessons, sewing lessons and music lessons. She tried playing the piano and violin when she was younger but didn’t stick with those instruments. This year she started playing the flute at Sanfordville.

“I’m playing the flute right now in band, and I’m trying hard to keep my commitment to it,” Luisa said. “We’re doing a new song, and it’s really hard to change your fingers to the right notes. In the flute, you have to get the fingers just right. But it’s really fun to play.”

This is Luisa’s first year at Sanfordville. She previously attended a dual language school in Hoboken, N.J. She was sad about leaving her best friend, but they often get together on video calls. And Luisa likes her new school here in Warwick.

“The teachers at Warwick are amazing,” Luisa said. “They are all so kind. I’ve never been to a school as good as this.”