Professional artist returns to her roots at Libertyville High School

After watching professional artist Amy Lind demonstrate the finer points of painting with pastels, it was time for the students to give it a shot.

The technique was harder than it looked.

"Mine looks like a clown," chuckled one student. "Don't even look at mine," said another.

Lind wouldn't have any of it. "Today is about getting the color right," she countered. "Don't worry about messing up. It's about light and shadow."

The 2002 Libertyville High School graduate returned to her alma mater for a two-week artist-in-residence program that started Tuesday. She's working in an AP art class taught by her former teacher, Ray Gossell.

This is the third year LHS has had artist-in-residence program, Gossell said, but having one of his former students as the teacher is especially meaningful.

"I always knew she had great potential," he said. "Her observation skills were outstanding, and she was an extremely hard worker. I'm not surprised she's come so far."

After graduating from LHS, Lind, 26, earned a full scholarship to Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga. She also studied at the Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy. Specializing in realistic portraits and figurative oil paintings, her work has been featured in American Art Collector magazine. Lind said she's sold more than 50 of her pieces, many of which hang in permanent collections around the world. She lives with her husband in San Francisco.

Returning to familiar territory was a delight for Lind.

"I have such good memories of this place," she said. "It's a fun, energetic and creative place. It's good to be back."

Inspired by such artists as John Singer Sargent and Lucian Freud, Lind said she has a "love affair" with portraiture and figure drawing. She does landscapes, but always comes back to people as her subject.

Junior student Mickey Gregory said it's helpful to have a teacher who "gets it."

"She took this very class," Gregory said. "She understands the pressure of the AP class. I've learned a lot from her and it's only been a couple of days."

Lind is enjoying the early success of her career, but said she wants her work to stay fresh.

"It would be a blessing to just continue what I'm doing," she said. "But I hope I'll always be evolving, always changing."