Student goes from getting by to pursuing college

OTTERVILLE, Mo. -- Alex Gritsishin spent his first three years of high school taking easy courses and drawing pictures of cars in the back of the classroom. His only aspirations were to finish high school and find a job.

"In just about every class, I would sit there and do doodles, and they would say, 'Put that away and pay attention,'" Gritsishin said.

Now a senior at Otterville High School, Gritsishin has changed his perspective. He is taking his first art classes since junior high, and his doodling at the back of the class is paying off.

With the guidance of art instructor Lori Jobe, Gritsishin has won several awards this year. His drawing of a dog is hanging in Gov. Bob Holden's office after he won the Missouri Art Education Associations Governor's Choice Award.

A second piece received special recognition from the MAEA. He also won best of show, third place and an honorable mention from the Cooper County Art Association with three other pieces.

"He was in a shop class, and his teacher came down and said, 'Have you seen any of his work?'" said Jobe. "Now everyone in the school has seen his work."

The shop teacher lets Gritsishin work on his art for credit in shop class. The physical education teacher has him working on a mural of the school mascot for credit, and an etching he has done sits in a display case in the school's main hallway.

Gritsishin has drawn countless cars in his spare time, but didn't take art seriously until Jobe encouraged him.

"I like to look at a car and put my stuff in it," he said. "My design, my kind of colors, my wheels, like doing my dream car."

'Make it look like I see it'

Using charcoal for the first time, Gritsishin drew a portrait of himself sitting in front of a Bentley. The large drawing, and another mixed-media painting of a sports car, were among 300 of 1,600 entries selected for a show at Central Missouri State University. He also received high recognition at the university after taking part in an on-the-spot art contest.

"I just look at something and try to make it look like I see it," Gritsishin said.

He hasn't been drawing just in the classroom. At home, Gritsishin spends one or two hours a night drawing more cars. The walls of his room are covered with pencil drawings of the stylish vehicles. Jobe, who has been teaching art for 21 years, said his work stands out.

"It does because his is a natural talent," she said. "A lot of them here, from elementary school up, you can see it develop, but with Alex, it's just a natural ability."

Jobe has been trying to introduce all media, including paints, charcoal, pastels, and pencils, to Gritsishin before he graduates. She is also encouraging him to experiment with subjects other than cars.

"He's working on a drawing of the school he's going to leave here for us," she said.

Gritsishin is waiting to hear whether he has been accepted in the State Fair Community College or CMSU art programs. He is also encouraging other classroom doodlers to take their abilities seriously.

"I wasn't planning to go to college, so I wasn't trying very hard in school, and now it's kind of hard to get into college," he said. "My friend, he draws, but he underestimates himself. I definitely did, too. I just didn't really think anybody would be interested."