Rachel Moss is headed to Cornell University to begin studying for a career as a medical doctor. She has the intelligence and determination to accomplish anything she sets her mind to. She’s also a talented artist, but many people don’t know that side of the creative teenager.
Ms. Moss’ artwork is exceptional. She displayed some of it at last spring’s district art show. It was very well received. The teenager believes her art studies will one day make her a better physician.
“My concentration is a series of reflective still lifes constructed using colored pencil or watercolor,” said Ms. Moss in an artist’s statement. “I chose to focus on the layering of unexpected undertones, which build to resemble the highlights and luster of metallic objects.
The concept behind my concentration aims to reveal the wide range of color that lies beneath all objects, especially those with reflective qualities.”
Huntington High School
Class of 2018 member Rachel Moss
Ms. Moss has excelled across the board academically, earning near perfect grades in every discipline. She interned with the Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition’s Students & Scientists environmental research scholarship program, was a founding member of the high school’s environmental club, president of the Science Honor Society and one of the most politically astute and active students on Long Island.
Ms. Moss’ internship last summer saw her working at the Children’s Environmental Health Center at Mount Sinai Hospital’s Icahn School of Medicine. She is currently working as a medical assistant at Advanced Podiatry in Huntington. “I was offered a position after shadowing one of the physicians during the school year,” she said.
As an artist, Ms. Moss is one of the best. The portfolio she assembled for the district art show is stunning. It vividly displays just how far she has advanced and the impressive depth of her creativity.
“My first works involve a softer, more reserved style,” wrote Ms. Moss her artist’s statement. “The colors were continually layered and blended by using minimal pressure and gentle marks. However, my concentration eventually evolved to include pieces with far bolder shades and more vivid line work. As the pieces progressed I became more confident with my color choices, compositions, and strokes. I began using harsh lines to exaggerate the contrast between dark grays and bright white highlights. With increased burnishing and deeper shadows in the last seven pieces, my style became more vibrant and complex. To add to this complexity, I even incorporated my own reflection into the final piece.”
The teenager worked closely with high school art teacher Kristin Singer in each of the past four years from painting and drawing through Advanced Placement coursework.
Ms. Moss always manages to grow intellectually from every course she takes and every club she joins or team that she plays on. It’s the same way with her art studies, especially the lovely concentration she completed and displayed at the district art show.
“The skills I have gained from this experience will undoubtedly prepare me for my future endeavors,” Ms. Moss said. “I plan to pursue a career in medicine and believe my attention to detail will translate seamlessly from art to science. I am also someone who constantly analyzes the underlying issues of any major problem, which parallels my focus on the subtle undertones and small details of each piece. By completing this concentration, I am confident that I will be a more focused, attentive and observant doctor.”
