Created by contributors in grades K-8, the HyattsKIDS Life & Times features local news, columns, and comics from our city’s youngest journalists. This special February issue features artwork from some of our town’s up and coming student artists. Would you like to see your art or writing on our page? Send submissions to mf_jimenez@yahoo.com.

robot attack Tafari
“Robot,” by Tafari Markos, age 5, Friends Community School
Mantis Family Portrait Parker W Johnson rotated e1644524851908
Mantis Family Portrait,” by Parker W. Johnson, age 16, Northwestern High School

Inspirations: “Ground Squirrel”
By the artist, Magdalena York

ground squirrel maggie york
“Ground Squirrel,” by Maggie York, age 13, Greenbelt Middle School

My name is Magdalena (no one really calls me that, though; I typically go by Maggie instead) and I am in seventh grade at Greenbelt Middle School. I’ve always enjoyed drawing in my freetime, so when the opportunity to share my art piece in the 2021 Park and Planning Nature Arts Contest arose, I took it! My artwork won first place in the Drawing category.

I got my inspiration from a squirrel, as you can clearly tell. I noticed this squirrel on a hike, thought it was beautiful, and decided to draw it. To actually draw the squirrel, I used colored pencils (Twistables; only the best) and watercolors for the background. Also, I’d like to give a shoutout to my out-of-this-world science teacher Ms.Smalls, who convinced me to enter the contest in the first place. You’re pretty darn cool.

Inspirations: HaDear Mohammed’s “The Process”
By Genevieve Poynton, age 12

The Process HaDear Mohammed
“The Process,” by HaDear Mohammed, age 13, Hyattsville Middle School

I spoke with HaDear Mohammed, a 14-year-old artist and Hyattsville Middle School student, about the artwork she shared with HyattsKIDS. HaDear’s piece, “The Process,” is a painting she made on a thin canvas. She used a marbling technique in the background, and the painting took her about a day. HaDear told me that, like most of her art, she made the painting “just for fun.” She said, “When I drew over it, I wanted to just because I’d never done that before.” HaDear’s favorite thing to draw is eyes.