Cassie Cox
Layton Bayless is branching out from his artistic roots in Greensburg.
Bayless, 17, has grown up around Decatur County for most of his life. However, next year Bayless plans on taking a journey away from his sister Marissa and mother Teresa Nall as he heads off to college. He is hoping to attend Herron School of Art and Design, which is affiliated with IUPUI.
September 27 is National Portfolio Day for Herron. Bayless has been busily preparing an array of artwork to impress the college representatives that will be there to critique him. He has oil paintings, watercolor paintings, around 12 pencil drawings, computer graphics, and digital art that was generated through a computer. Perhaps he will add a few of his T-shirt designs that many high school students have in their closets and dressers at home.
Where did Bayless’ love of art come from? He wonders if it has to do with his grandparents, Roger and Betty Lou Blake. The Blakes also reside in Decatur County. Betty Lou Blake teaches oil painting classes in a shop attached to her home. She teaches children and teens of all ages most weekdays and has an adult class Tuesday evenings. Bayless has grown up around his grandmother’s shop full of canvases, paintings, cups loaded with paintbrushes from one bristle to a hundred, easels, frames, turpentine, pallets, pallet knives, and snacks for any starving artists. Blake focuses on landscapes, while Bayless enjoys branching out from landscapes to Indian portraits.
Bayless claims his first official painting was a seascape when he was only 3 years old. He doesn’t remember painting it, but the result is rather decent. Bayless knows his family influences have helped, but he believes he was born into loving art.
“I guess I have always scribbled around. Nowadays, I seek out artists by any means necessary,” Bayless said.
Bayless is even a published illustrator of a childrens’ book. He was asked to draw 12 or so pictures of historic figures and events such as Benjamin Frankin and the Wright Brothers’ first flight. This was not an easy task, Bayless soon found out, as he would send in a finished picture only to be told to redraw it another way. He thinks Herron will appreciate his range in artistic mediums.
Art is not everything for Bayless. He is also captivated by skateboarding and its culture. He has been skateboarding for five years.
“It isn’t just about the act of skateboarding. I like how it brings friends together in a fun way,” commented Bayless.
Currently, aside from finishing his portfolio, Bayless is painting a mural of hot air balloons in the library at North Decatur with fellow senior and good friend Conor Wilson.
This Sunday, Bayless will get an idea if he is what Herron School of Art and Design is looking for, but feels his portfolio might be hard to beat.
