WARSAW — Each year hundreds of art instructors from across the nation submit portfolios from their top seniors. This competition is the prestigious Scholastics Art and Writing Awards.  Past winners have included Andy Warhol, Ken Burns, Philip Pearlsten and Truman Capote. Only 123 art portfolios were recognized nationally and will be presented at Carnegie Hall in a few weeks. Two Indiana students were awarded Scholastic National portfolio scholarships; Rachel Campos from Peru, and Drake Swartzentruber from Warsaw High School.

Drake’s portfolio success didn’t start as a senior. He embraced the creative spirit early. He started drawing portraits at events while in elementary school. He has entertained crowds with caricatures at dozens of events from the Indiana State Fair, the Manchester University homecoming and many other festivals and company parties. In middle school he created an educational video game, Koine Krazy, teaching Greek grammar. In high school Drake was contracted to illustrate a book dealing with health safety for employees in the medical field. This became an important part of his portfolio. Currently he is working on a second educational game using Unity software that takes place at the Hadrian Wall in Roman Britany.

After submitting his secondary portfolio, Drake began receiving acceptance and award letters.  Programs such as the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Rhode Island School of Art and others offered merit scholarships. Eventually he signed with the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. The school originated in 1930, and has consistently matured influential creators in fine art, illustration, film and industrial design. Drake picked Art Center for their outstanding reputation and faculty. Art Center instructors are all leaders in their specific discipline. They do everything from exhibit internationally and illustrate concept art for feature films, to design the cars we wish we could own.

Drake’s interests in art range from exhibiting original art and illustrating books, to designing time-based-media and animation. After he completes the production of this current video game he plans to create fine art until the start of art school. Follow him at www.draketruber.com or drake.truber on Instagram and Twitter