Reviewed by Mary McLaughlin, Ma-TESOL; M.S. SpEd
The 2015 National Trout Festival chose its logo from a design by a Kalkaska, Michigan high school art student. Karly Hoggard, a senior at the Kalkaska High School, based her logo off a trout statue located in Kalkaska that has long been a beloved centerpiece of the town. The Trout Festival will take place in Kalkaska April 22-26, 2015 giving residents and out-of-town visitors alike a lot of opportunities to see Karly’s logo.
The trout logo is not her first venture into creating a prominent symbol of the community. She previously created a professional logo for the local recycling center.
Karly has long been interested in art and has been able to showcase her talent locally. Her interest in art has been so strong that she joined the National Art Honor Society when she was just a freshman. During this time she created murals for local schools and won an art show. Karly has even sold a number of her art pieces.
Karly’s art teacher LaShelle Zanhouten spoke highly of her natural talent in an interview with The Kalkaskian newspaper and described how rewarding she found it for her student to be so successful.
Despite her innate talent in art, Karly plans to get a degree in mechanical engineering from Central Michigan University. No doubt her engineering creations will have an artistic element, along with being functional and innovative.
Karly Hoggard is not the first artist to be inspired by the town of Kalkaska. This small town entranced the author Ernest Hemingway after he visited and fished there. In fact, he even immortalized it in his story “The Battler.”
Kalaska even has an art gallery as part of its local Museum on Cedar Street. No doubt it will be recognizing Karla’s artwork.