Driptaa Chakraborty, senior, has spent many years creating. Whether it’s for one of her many STEM-related classes and clubs or for her AP Art Studio class, Chakraborty loves to create. 

Chakraborty has taken AP Art Studio twice, volunteered with the special education art class and won first place in the 2021 2nd District Congressional Art competition. 

“I have always found pleasure in creating things, especially something that nobody has ever done before,” Chakraborty said. “I think in art there is a lot of room for creativity, so that is what I mainly enjoy — making something that nobody has done before.”

Inspired by artists like M.C. Escher, Chakraborty creates STEM related pieces. For example, her award-winning painting titled “Innovation” blends artistic and scientific elements, two major components of Chakraborty’s life. 

Chakraborty said she chooses to recognize scientists in her art in light of the pandemic. 

“Researchers are always working toward the betterment of society, and I really wanted to highlight that,” Chakraborty said. 

Melissa Wilson, art teacher, has played a large role in Chakraborty’s art journey as her AP Art and Design teacher. 

Wilson said AP Art and Design is student-driven; each student designs his or her own course that lasts the whole year. 

“Driptaa has a very mature approach to her artistic style,” Wilson said. “She has a lot of previous training from the school she was at before coming to Missouri, so she had a lot of artistic background from a young age and was well-developed.”

Wilson described Chakraborty’s art as combining  multiple interests of hers. 

“Driptaa is such an analytical person and she has that math and science side to her, so she has that extra layer of depth in her artwork that makes her work stand out so much more,” Wilson said. 

Charkraborty has not only bonded with her art teacher through her creativity, but also other students. 

Farren Miller, senior, became friends with Chakraborty through a summer art program before their freshman year of high school. 

“I think it is really fun because a lot of my friends don’t do art, so I have someone to talk to about art and compare my projects with,” Miller said. 

Miller said she admires Charkraborty’s art and creativity. 

“She does a lot of very unique styles of art and she is very well-rounded in everything she does,” Miller said. “That inspires me to go out of my comfort zone and do things that I normally wouldn’t do with my art.”