While most seniors are finalizing college plans, award winning art student Michaella Walker is preparing for something entirely different, a year of volunteering in South Africa. A powerful plan as a result of her unexpected circumstances.

Moving from the U.K. to Lake Zurich, Walker had to adjust to a new environment while continuing to grow as an artist. But, because she is not a US citizen, her options after graduation are limited.

Due to her visa status, instead of attending university, Walker will spend the next year volunteering in the country where she has personal connections and has the ability to make a true difference.

Looking back at her experience, Walker reflected on her transition and shift in perspective.

“My move made me more aware of different cultures,” Walker stated. “Because my family is from South Africa, I’ve always been interested in humanitarian stuff.”

Not only were her interests and experiences affected by her move, but so was her art. “I like to do art based on struggles,” She said, when asked how her move impacted her style of art. “Especially women experiencing hardships.”

In her work, Walker paints people to highlight the resilience of those who are discriminated against, often focusing on emotion that conveys both struggle and strength.

Her move helped her visualize the determination of those in different situations from her, but it also helped her persevere through the hurdles she encountered.

Last year, when working on a ceramic bust, Walker had faced multiple setbacks when it came to finishing her project.

“It broke multiple times,” Kristen LaJeunesse, Lake Zurich High School’s art teacher, said. “But her spirit did not at all. She continued to work on it and work on it, to bring it to a place where she felt satisfied. And the way students handle setbacks says a lot about their character.”

As she continued to push through and achieve her goals, Walker kept noticing how her move repeatedly changed her art.

“I think I became a lot more resilient,” Walker said. “And better at understanding different types of people.”

Not only has Walker developed a sense of awareness of the world around her, she also is empathetic of the classmates she interacts with everyday.

“Because she has family across the world, it has brought a perspective that… makes her stand out,” LaJeunesse said. “She has an empathy for what others are going through in other countries, and she brings that into her work, and she is able to elevate her artistic expressions because of those experiences.”

Her ability to use her experiences and understand global issues has been a key factor in her growth as an artist, and has influenced the meaning in her art as well as the recognition it receives.

“Last year she won an Artist’s Choice Award for a piece that she had made,” LaJeunesse said. “So I think art has always been something that she has done for herself, but now, she has grown in the way that she does it emotionally, physically, and mentally.”

As Walker heads to South Africa to continue to help the people around her, she will continue to make art and convey a strong message.