‘She gives nothing less than 200 percent to everything she does’

Warwick Valley High School freshman Madison Tyzbir has always been into art. This year, Madison enrolled in art teacher Nicole Sisco’s rigorous Foundations in Art class.

“Madison is an exceptional young artist,” Sisco said. “She has always been interested in looking at art through a much larger lens.”

Madison attributes her artistic curiosity largely to her mother, who makes their household a very creative space, incorporating art, music and poetry. “She definitely got me into art and continues to encourage me,” said Madison.

Madison also has a love of art tourism. She will be visiting her brother in Italy during spring break and plans to check out some artwork by the European masters while she’s there. A couple years back, she visited Giverny in France, the house and grounds of painter Claude Monet.

Madison’s mom has instilled in her the idea that school is everywhere, and that there are always opportunities to learn. “School isn’t just a building,” said Madison. “School is going to different countries. It’s seeing how cultures are different, seeing how the food is. That’s education, too.”

Recently, the high school art program chose artists to contribute to the Wickham Works TreeCycle project coming up on April 26. Sisco knew she had to add Madison’s name.

“She gives nothing less than 200 percent to everything she does,” Sisco said. “Madison has created a special workbook to inspire a mural that will be created on the handball court at Deming Park leading up to the TreeCycle event.”

Madison’s booklet provides illustrated answers to local questions like: What’s your favorite food in Warwick? What’s your favorite animal in Warwick? Your favorite plant? And so on. Some of Madison’s answers in her booklet reflect her deep concern about the environment.

“If there’s a really big thing that I’m concerned about now, it’s climate change,” said Madison. “Our Earth needs plenty of protecting, so my booklet talks about the need to recycle more and use more efficient energy resources.”

Looking ahead, Madison knows she wants to do something that makes a difference in the world, including the possibility of working in a field where she can take on issues of the day.

“Helping to cut back on pollution is important to me, but so are civil rights, helping people get justice and making their voices heard,” she said. “If people try to silence your voice, there must be some power in it, right?”

If you ask Madison what words of wisdom she has to share with other artists, she feels they should hold onto their own creativity and never lose their sense of playfulness. “Your creativity is yours and only yours,” she said. “Trust yourself to create art based on nobody but yourself.”

Madison, whose middle name is Grace, also feels that people need to heed an important lesson that her maternal grandmother instilled in her at a young age.

“Wherever you go, do things with grace and kindness,” she said. “Kindness is not weakness. Kindness is strength.”