The English banker, philanthropist, scientist, and politician John Lubbock is credited with saying, "Art is unquestionably one of the purest and highest elements in human happiness. It trains the mind through the eye, and the eye through the mind. As the sun colors flowers, so does art color life."

According to Hempfield High School (HHS) art teacher Amy Edwards, art is where she has always felt most at home. Edwards grew up in Lancaster County, attended Pequea Valley School District, earned her bachelor's degree in art education at Kent State University in Ohio, and received her master's degree from Millersville University. Her first professional job after graduating from Kent State University was working as an art teacher at HHS. She's been there since 1996.

"I just see kids who are hungry to make things, and to be creative, and to have a person that they can talk to, and be encouraged by all of it," said Edwards. "I mean, it's not about becoming the next greatest artist. It's about being creative."

From Sept. 26 to Jan. 2, Edwards' artwork was featured in the 54th annual "Art of the State" exhibition at the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. This marks the fourth exhibition at the State Museum of Pennsylvania in which Edwards' work was shown. The piece she submitted for the exhibit is titled "Talisman for the Schuylkill Expressway." Edwards originally created the work for a different show in Philadelphia surrounding the theme of connections. "I always try to make a personal connection with what I'm making because that's the only way I can make something authentically," said Edwards. "I just thought about what connects Lancaster to Philly, and I remember long drives on the Schuylkill Expressway with my parents, so I just started to research it." The talisman includes pieces of broken glass, hand-polished reflectors, tiny car tires, and mapped accident points.

"I think I just want people to know how grateful I am to be included and to be called an artist in Pennsylvania," noted Edwards. "That will never get old."

Edwards said that one of her biggest supporters is Becky McDonah, who also had work featured in the show. Edwards was one of McDonah's students at Millersville University, and Edwards has continued to work with McDonah for the past seven or eight years. "She was kind of the first person that encouraged me to (submit my work)," stated Edwards. "She's my biggest champion".

"Hempfield has always celebrated with me," commented Edwards. "I just appreciate the support of the school district and the administration."

To learn more about the Art of the State exhibition, visit http://statemuseumpa.org/artofthestate/.