Colony student makes art big

WASILLA - If you are going to dream, dream big. That's what Tara Hein believes, and a lot of people in the community get to see that belief when they go to the doctor.

Hein, a senior at Colony High School and an 18-year-old as of Wednesday, decided to make her first public art project big - as in covering the entire wall of a local doctor's office.

She painted a large mural on the wall at the Center For Women's Health office in Wasilla. The office is relatively new, and Hein provided some interior decorating that is 100-percent original.

"They said they wanted a landscape scene, and I just started painting," Hein said. "They really didn't tell me exactly what they wanted. It was a fun thing to do."

The project was the first large one for Hein, who said she enjoys all facets of art, from painting to photography. It was also the first time she used acrylic paint for a project.

"I was a little nervous when I started because everything was new - how big the project was, and the kind of paint I was using," Hein said. "I learned a lot from it.

"There is a lot of new techniques I picked up, and I learned what you could do and what you couldn't with that type of paint," Hein said. "I've painted with watercolors mainly, and with acrylic paint, the techniques are totally different."

Hein started the mural in the beginning of the summer. The project is done, except for some final finishing touches.

"I've got to add a few leaves, but other than that, it's finally done," Hein said. "It took a while to do."

She first became involved with the project because of her involvement at school. She belongs to the Key Club at Colony, and the advisor, Melody Mann, turned her on to the idea of painting the project.

"It wasn't a Key Club project, but my advisor heard they wanted to paint a mural and she thought of me," Hein said. "She told me to grab my paint brushes and do it, so I did."

Her talent comes from her mother, she said.

"My mom is really good at art, and I kind of learned it from her," Hein said. The learning process is not new to Hein. She is involved in many school activities and enjoys learning.

She is a member of the Colony High swim team, enjoys leadership classes and is involved with her senior class as the secretary. With so many things going on, it is hard to believe Hein even had time to paint the mural.

"It was in the summer, so that's good," Hein said. "It would have been hard to squeeze it in with my schedule."

Consider Hein's Wednesday schedule as an example. Hein celebrated her 18th birthday by attending class all day, and then hustling from Colony to Wasilla High School to spend the afternoon swimming laps in the pool at swim practice. She is dedicated to all of her endeavors, and even her 18th birthday could not deter her from putting in some work.

Hein is not exactly sure what her career path will be. She does know it will probably be affected by her love of the arts, however.

"I'd love to have a career that includes art in some way," she said. "Just how, I don't know yet."