Plymouth Christian Academy Students Showcase Art

While still seniors at , Leah Vuletich and Lindsey Davidson’s works of art already are getting attention.

Davidson, who specializes in drawing and painting landscapes, will have a piece on display at U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Livonia)’s Milford office after placing fourth at the Congressional Art Merit Awards.

Vuletich, a photographer, already has concert photography slated to run in a nationally circulated music magazine.

Local art enthusiasts can catch a glimpse of the pair’s works this week, however, as their art is on display this week at in Plymouth. During the week, a dollar for every drink purchased will be donated to the school’s art program, said Colleen Woolford, co-owner of the Biggby location.

While Vuletich and Davidson work with different mediums, they credit their AP art teacher, Susan Aitken, for developing their ability to step outside of their comfort zone and take a more abstract approach to their works.

“The AP art class challenged me and pushed me to paint in ways I never thought I would,” Davidson said. She said Aitken encouraged her to move from her more lifelike landscapes representing vacation spots and around the Canton area to a more abstract approach and embracing different uses of color.

“For me, (Aitken) pushed me to not be so realistic,” she said.

Vuletich, who said she’s “always been behind a camera,” thanks to her mother, Judith Vuletich’s professional photography, said she got more serious about the art during the past year and that Aitken’s class has helped develop her “more artsy” approach to photography by incorporating different lighting techniques.

Aitken said this is her fourth year teaching the school's AP art class.

Vuletich said she typically shoots artistic and journalistic shots and hopes to someday land a photo on a magazine cover. She will be attending Michigan State University in the fall, where she said she will study advertising.

Davidson said she is attending Hope College and while she will not be majoring in art, she said she plans to keep it a part of her life.

“It’s kind of as a hobby,” she said. “I’m looking to see where it takes me.”

The artists were joined Tuesday by Connor Roy, a junior at Plymouth Christian Academy, who strummed a guitar while singing Christian-themed music at the exhibit.

"I'm passionate about music," he said. "I love Jesus and he's the reason I do what I do."