Living almost all around the United States and Japan, senior Galice Portillo has found a knack for the finer arts in life. About four years ago, Portillo took a photography class in Ohio. In this class, Portillo found a door that helps her focus on her passion in life. 

Portillo has lived in Utah, Japan, Montana, Maryland, Ohio, and finally in Mount Vernon, Iowa. What’s the cause for all of this moving? Portillo’s dad was enlisted in the United States Air Force, which caused them to move all over. Portillo’s father comes from Mexico, and her mother is from the United States, which makes Portillo a first-generation Mexican American.

When Portillo lived in Ohio, she took a photography class, while in this class it helped her find more of an artistic sense. “I’ve always had a creative sense, but I felt like this class helped expand that sense,” she said. But photography is not Portillo’s only artistic talent; she also creates pottery. “When I make my pottery, I tend to use a lot of bright colors, I tend to like things that are colorful, and I feel calm and at peace when working on art,” Portillo said. “I tend to incorporate feminine details, flowers, hearts.”

 Painting is another talent of Portillo’s. “When painting I like to paint more scenic things, like flowers and self-portraits,” she said. Recently, a project that Portillo finished was a model for Zoltar, the Fortune Teller. In this model, Portillo painted the face and the box that holds Zoltar.