Twin Rivers senior sells her first painting at National Beta Club convention

BROSELEY — Emma Chronister has always been interested in multiple areas of science, and believed that was her path, but she is also drawn to art. That compulsion to create recently culminated with the sale of an original painting.

Chronister was approached by a National Beta Sponsor at the January National Beta Club Convention, where her painting had been entered into competition. The sponsor asked if they could purchase the painting to hang in the National Beta office.

“What was decided was that I will sell a print of the painting, so I can keep my original painting,” Chronister explained. “It’s my first time selling some original art. It’s a unique experience.”

This wasn’t the first time Chronister’s her art received attention at a Beta conference.

“I have competed in Beta since my ninth grade year,” Chronister noted. “In my sophomore year, I placed first at state, and I won fifth in the country at nationals. Last year, I placed second at state.”

Chronister said her love for art started to take shape when she was only 8 years old.

“When I was 8, I started going to painting classes and that really gave me some focus and inspired me for painting,” Chronister explained. “Ever since then, I have loved art and painting.”

Don’t make it a job

As much as she loves art — and specifically painting — Chronister said that she has no desire to pursue it professionally.

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea,” she remarked. “I worry that if I were to get into that, it might make what I love to do feel more like a job. I don’t want that.”

Instead, Chronister’s ambitions lead deep into science.

“I’m not sure what field of science, exactly, that I’m going into; but I really like astrophysics,” Chronister explained. “I think I always knew I would go somewhere in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), but I don’t know exactly where I want to end up.”

For now, Chronister plans to attend Three Rivers College to obtain her associates degree and figure things out from there.

“I’m not sure where I will go to complete my education,” Chronister said. “But that’s OK. I don’t need to know that at the moment.”

For the forseeable future, Chronister said she is content to do continue painting and drawing. It is something that will likely never change,

“Beta Club has really helped me with pursuing art and having an outlet for it,” Chronister noted. “It has helped me get my art out to other people and I am grateful for that.”