When Fish Fly by Maya S.

Maya S.'s senior project, "When Fish Fly," is a graphic novel that explores the idea of childhood wonder. The project was born out of Maya’s passion for art and storytelling, and with guidance from mentor Jon Mulhern, she completed the ambitious task of creating a graphic novel. The final product consists of 43 hand-painted story pages and eight handwritten title pages.

The project unfolded through meticulous planning, research, and execution. Maya delved into the world of graphic novels, drawing inspiration from works such as Spinning by Tillie Walden and Blankets by Craig Thompson. She meticulously designed her characters, focusing on the protagonist, a young boy enamored with the idea of flying fish, his grandfather whose perspective on the fish is at odds with his own, and a marine biologist who acts as a conflict resolver. While the project was a huge undertaking, Maya found inspiration in her progress, stating, “With each page I made, I felt like my story was coming together more, which is why this is probably one of my favorite parts. As this stack of finished pages got bigger, I just felt really rewarded, and I felt like I was actually accomplishing something.”

Maya’s senior project not only showcases her artistic talents but through the iterative process of creating her graphic novel, from initial sketches and storyboarding to inking and coloring each page, she gained valuable lessons in perseverance and collaboration, affirming, "Challenges are a part of greatness." Looking ahead, Maya plans to pursue art and is considering majoring in illustration in college.