If you stepped inside the library on Wednesday, October 29th, you might have found yourself stopping mid-step — not just for a book or to study, but for the bold colors and shapes on the walls luring you down the staircase. This is the gallery of senior artist Paige Meyers.
The gallery was the perfect canvas to showcase four years of growth, creativity, and courage. As students filled the stairs to see her work, Paige shared, “It’s really nice to see everyone who wanted to come and see everything.” The exhibition, paired with food and conversation, invited the entire school community to slow down and experience what happens when one of their peers takes the spotlight.
Paige was allowed to spread her art down the main library staircase, where she arranged the placement herself. She organized her art in specific sections — focused on topics like autonomy or nature — along with other pieces that lured the crowd towards the bottom. As Art Teacher Ms. Elizabeth Wepsic explained, the emotional leap that is required for Paige to publicly display her art is invisible to most viewers.
Each piece of the exhibition tells its own story. There is no specific theme, as the works have been spread out through Paige’s high school art career. “I’ve always liked painting what I see,” she said. “A lot of my landscapes come from photos I’ve taken or my friends have shared. Seeing them on the walls now feels crazy, but I’m proud of them all.” Although, as Paige explained, none of her nature-inspired pieces have names, they do have backstories.
Waiting at the bottom of the staircase was a table full of snacks such as charcuterie boards filled with chocolate cookies, cheese, and crackers, and even platters of fruit set up by parent volunteers. This helped shape a conversational and friendly environment for all students looking at the art.
When asked what inspired certain sections of her art, Paige responded by sharing, “A lot of my pieces are health-related things.” She explained, “I’m interested in going into medicine, so it really means something to me.” With Paige being interested in medicine since before she started high school, her pieces reflect that focus. One piece, named Redamancy, was inspired by being assigned to create a piece by using your favorite word. Paige took this as an opportunity to create art intertwined with her medical aspirations, in which she drew a literal depiction of a heart.
As classmates wandered through the display, their reactions reflected a sense of admiration along with inspiration. Riley Nystrom (‘28) shared that exhibitions are, “a really special opportunity that not many other schools have. It’s a great way to show your talent.”
Sasha Jessen (‘28) echoed this by saying, “[The gallery] makes me feel really inspired to start doing things like this myself. I love the variety; there’s just so much difference between the pieces. From nature to anatomy, it’s really beautiful.”
Ms. Wepsic, who has taught Paige since her freshman year, has watched her grow to the point where her work now fills the library staircase. When asked about her relationship with Paige, she shared, “It’s a good bond in its own way.” She shared that, knowing Paige for this many years, she was able to see her grow and progress as an artist. Ms. Wepsic also explained how difficult it is to achieve sharing your work by saying, “It’s rare that a student feels so confident to put up all their artwork and share it with the community… It’s something to be proud of, and it really represents years of growth.”
Though Paige describes her show as a culmination of her work rather than a statement, it deeply resonated with students passing through. Her art didn’t just decorate the walls; it invited conversation and connection between students throughout all grades. Paige created her gallery to her exact liking as her final farewell to her time with the Bishop’s Art Department. Aside from the farewell, Paige’s gallery became a special opportunity to reflect on her growth and the creative spirit she leaves behind at Bishop’s.
