HAYLEE MATECKO

Create Opportunities: Seeing something that others might deem impossible,

or may not see at all, and turning it into something beautiful.

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Criteria

• Creativity

• Out-of-the-Box thinking

• Willingness to change perspective

• Reflection

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Evidence: Study Abroad in South Africa

The day I went to get a canvas, I scoured my life to find a good quote to write. As roommates,

we agreed that a quote like “Live Simply” would be too cliché, but we didn’t want it to be so

obscure it didn’t make sense. After lots of conversation, we settled on a Ben Rector song lyric – “Sometimes it takes the sky to see what’s on the ground”.

 

Upon first glance, this quote doesn’t appear to make sense. It takes the sky to see what’s on the ground? What is this songwriter getting at? It’s a question that people have asked me if they don’t know the song, but I am forever in love with the quote because of everything it demonstrates within itself. It is describing a change of perspective. We live our lives on the ground, day to day tasks right in front of us, not always fully understanding how to look forward and see what else our lives have to offer. The change of perspective, placing ourselves “in the sky”, allows us to really see what’s happening on the ground.

 

The confusion people have about the quote and the challenge of getting from idea conception to reality in my art demonstrated to me the way my brain works. I am tirelessly idealistic, yet rational at times. I think about things in a future sense, and when I get an idea in my head I can clearly understand what the end goal will look like. These capabilities allow me to create art, create and develop business plans, or even desire to develop the people around me.

 

Taking something that was literally garbage to one person and transforming it… That’s art. That’s a vision that needs to be brought to life. I live my life constantly transitioning between the sky and the ground, because that change in perspective is essential for learning and growing and loving and developing myself and those around me. I am irrationally idealistic at times, but that optimism creates whimsical visions in my head, and I am ready to bring those visions to life.

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