If you are looking for senior Lizzie Ingrassia after school, you can likely find her in the East Wing of Huntley High School. She is either leading the Art Club with her close friend, Charlotte Sveen, or working on an AP Art project. Ingrassia has had a long history within the art programs at Huntley which is carefully documented on her art Instagram account, @lizzanya_. 

Created in January of 2017, @lizzany_ a has amassed 567 followers, but her intention was never to become a large-scale influencer. Ingrassia describes her art as a time capsule, so she can track her progress over time. 

Ingrassia’s progress is very clear. Her earliest post, a portrait of a green-haired woman captioned “Overgrowth Drawing,” is remarkably different from her latest sketches of characters from the new Netflix series “Squid Game.” Ingrassia frequently posts re-draws or art with the same subject as a previous post, but she now incorporates new skills or design work. 

“I’ve been friends with Lizzie since middle school, so I’ve seen her progression over time, especially in figure drawing and composition,” Sveen said. 

Ingrassia’s account has brought her a wide array of resources. She says that following other artists gives her the opportunity to compare techniques or receive critiques from more experienced artists. It also gives her more freedom in expressing herself.

“In school, you put a certain amount of pressure on yourself because [your art] is for a grade. But on my Instagram account, I can let loose and focus on the stuff I enjoy, like TV series,” Ingrassia said. 

Even though her account is for enjoyment, her account has brought her art recognition. According to Sveen, one of Ingrassia’s pieces was featured on a website of the popular indie artist, Cavetown.

Ingrassia comes from an artistic family. She says she inherited most of her creativity from her father. She also has a sister with a career in landscape architecture. 

“From a young age, I saw my sister [making art] and thought to myself, ‘hey I should try that out,” Ingrassia said. 

After high school, Ingrassia plans to study 3D animation. Growing up, she was mesmerized by Disney cartoons.

“I always wanted to be one of those names on the long credit screens after a movie,” Ingrassia said. 

In a non-digital space, Ingrassia is a co-leader of the HHS Art Club. Having been members since their freshman year, she and Sveen approached Art Club sponsor Bridget Regan, asking to become leaders during their senior year. Regan was thrilled.

“Lizzie is deeply kind, incredibly focused, and always willing to help [in Art Club],” said Regan.