By Grace Irwin ’18

Rather than playing sports or obsessing over videogames, senior Joey Ploscowe has proven himself unlike the average teenager. His talent for drawing comics is apparent in both the final picture and the creativity of each original piece.
Spending most of his day with a pen and pad in hand, Joey can draw just about anything. “My biggest inspirations come from the movies and shows I watch,” Ploscowe said. “I will often see something on screen and think ‘Hey, why not draw something like that?’” Ploscowe said. “I love horror and science fiction movies and will often try and portray something dark and disturbing like these movies do. Really, I can gain inspiration from anywhere as long as something catches my eye.”
Joey is a member of the National Art Honor Society and takes AP Studio Art. “Joey is a strange cat, and that’s why we love him,” art teacher John Atura said.
One of Joey’s favorite pieces depicts the fear of ghosts and bathing. Mr. Atura chose the ghost drawing to be entered in an art show on Jan. 29 at Kean University. Joey’s art was also featured earlier this year in a Maplewood gallery as part of an AP exhibit.
“He  surprises me with every piece of art,” senior Nicole Kendall said.
Joey is the friend that brings light to any situation. His constant positive outlook and random thoughts leave everyone laughing. Whether he’s making up a bizarre “Would you rather?” or uncovering hidden gems on YouTube, his contagious laugh and hilarious personality can brighten anyone’s day. “Joey may not be able to stand up, walk or speak, but he makes some damn good drawings,” senior David Kolesar said.
Besides drawing, Joey’s favorite thing to do is watch movies. His favorite part of watching movies is uncovering the story they tell. “I like to see unrealistic things play out on screen,” Ploscowe said. “I also like how a movie can make you feel scared, thrilled, sad or whatever the director wants you to feel.”
“Joey’s cool and definitely into his artwork,” junior Aidan Pero said. “Kid’s like a cheeseburger living among hamburgers.”
Joey dedicates most of his time outside of school to his art. “All of my drawings start with some sort of vision I get in my head,” Ploscowe said. “I begin by planning out many compositions, eventually I pick the one I think is best. Once all this is done, I will begin sketching out my drawing with pencil. After I am happy with my sketch I will work into it with black ink, and then color it with markers.”
Joey plans to pursue a career in art. He has not decided where to attend college next fall, however he plans to take his talent for drawing comics and pursue a career in animation or the film industry.