Propped over his paint-splattered desk, a bright idea and a blank canvas are all it takes for JP Kinney ’23 to create another masterpiece. From school work to personal projects, Kinney showcases his talent and creativity while doing what he loves: visual art. He is most confident while painting, but is also experienced in drawing, sculpting, and designing multimedia projects. Inspired by his family and motivated by self-mastery, he is eager to grow and excited to see where his journey leads in the future. 

How did you begin your visual art journey? 
I’ve been doing art my whole life - my mom is an artist, and I’ve just grown up surrounded by painting. [She] helps run The Cranbury Arts Council, and when she would go do the plays for the middle school, she would bring me to do the backdrops. I’d have my little paints on the stage and I’d paint [with her]. My mom is definitely my inspiration. 

What are you working on right now? 
I’m working on a lot of animation, which [I think] is really cool. I use Clip Studio Paint for animation and [digital] drawing. I also have a Huion Tablet for graphic-style drawing. Right now I’m also working on oil painting - I think painting is my best work. 

What kind of training or classes have you taken?
I’ve taken classes at the Paul Robeson Center for The Arts with the Arts Council of Princeton - [I do] mostly acrylic painting there. Right now I’m taking Studio Art 2-D 3 with Mr. Pembleton. For underclassmen, I definitely recommend looking into the [art] classes and teachers - they are all really nice and helpful. If you want to go to an Arts School after [high school], they can help you with your portfolio and write [recommendation] letters. 

Do you like Digital or Painting better? 
Digital art is much easier to sit down and do, because there is much less set up and clean up, but I feel like that is part of the charm with painting. Mixing your paint, having to be more thoughtful because you don’t have a control z, and just the physical feedback painting with a brush are all things I really enjoy when making art. 

 How do you see art playing a role in your future?
I want to go to school for art - If I can be doing art full time and be self sustainable, that’s my dream. I really want to do it for the rest of my life and it is my goal to make a living from it. 

What piece are you most proud of?
I am most proud of a self portrait entitled Tongue I painted with acrylics. I am proud of the way that I used color and a dynamic pose to express myself. 

What technique do you find the most challenging?
Watercolor is the most challenging for me. It is hard to know where to start, how much water to use, and it’s just really hard to make convincing shapes and colors. I can’t wrap my head around artists who will start a watercolor piece with a bunch of random splotches of color and transform it into a cohesive picture. 

What goals do you have for yourself? Is there something you’d really like to paint or create but haven’t done before?
I want to paint a mural somewhere- most of my art tends to be small and not take more than a few days to create. I want to work on a project that’s way bigger in size than what I usually do, and I want to be able to spend a lot of time on it. Even if it’s just a mural on my bedroom wall, it is something I want to accomplish and work on. 

JP Kinney ’23 paints his future bright

This past month, members of the PHS Jazz Ensemble and Studio Band performed at preliminary festivals to qualify for the 2022 state finals, organized by the New Jersey Jazz Association for Jazz Education. Students who participated were given the opportunity to showcase their talent, represent their school, and even win prestigious awards, tributes, or scholarships. 

Prelims for the Jazz Ensemble took place on March 9 at Southern Regional High School, while Studio Band prelims took place on March 10 at Steinert High School. 

“We played the three songs that we’ve been practicing weekly,” said Adele Slaymaker ‘25, who plays the clarinet in the Jazz Ensemble.

The Jazz Ensemble won gold for sight-reading (performing a piece without previous preparation), which counted for 15 percent of the total score for the preliminary round. 

“Studio Band got gold and our rhythm section won outstanding section! We [also] won best sight reading,” said Sara Carson ‘23, a guitarist in Studio Band.

All participating musicians maintained a focused mindset as well as an optimistic attitude at prelims. Both Jazz Ensemble and Studio Band did exceptionally well, placing 9th and 3rd place, respectively. The two bands will be making it to state finals on April 30th. This year, sight-reading and improvisation were crucial components on the adjudication sheet. 

“There is a lot of pressure because PHS is hosting [Division II] finals, as well as the reputation that the Princeton bands have,” said Matthew Chen ’25, a trumpet player for Jazz Ensemble. 



In 2019, PHS Jazz Ensemble and Studio Band placed third and second in Division II finals, and Studio Band won the Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award. Furthermore, Studio Band trombonists won a section award. This year, band members are excited to perform competitively again and exhibit PHS pride. 

Although pandemic is a challenge, Finals in future look promising as mask mandates begin to lift. 

“COVID-19 has made performances more perfunctory than exciting, but prelims, where we’re competing, will help bring back some energy,” said Nina Esteghamat ’23, who plays the flute.

Many freshmen were excited to attend prelims for the first time. The chance to advance to State Finals is a big achievement in their musical journey. 

“I haven’t done a competition before, since I’m a freshman and the last performance we did outside of this year was when I was in seventh grade,” said Slaymaker.
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Rehearsal schedules for both Studio Band and Jazz Ensemble were planned to efficiently prepare for prelims. Members will continue to attend three-hour rehearsals every Wednesday night to address larger group issues, while also working in instrument-based sections to review smaller details in the music.

“Going to finals at Princeton High School, which is our home turf, will be really nice. Having both bands play together at the same place where we can watch each other, I feel like is going to be really cool!” said Sophia Kim ’22, an oboe player in Studio Band.

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