Corner Canyon High senior Makayla Larkins’ art career began at home as a little girl. Years after drawing her family, pets, and stars on her favorite canvas at home — the walls, of course — Larkins’ passion for that creative form of visual expression has blossomed like a rose garden.

“Art’s my life,” she said, smiling.

Larkins, who used her talents to create the cover of Canyons District’s 2021 holiday card, truly means that.

 She teaches art classes for little kids. She provides charity artwork to a nonprofit organization in Mali, Africa, to help raise money for health and education. She paints shoes to sell. She also produces artwork for her school as CCHS’s student body art officer.

 “Art is more than just drawing something. It’s a lifestyle,” said Larkins, the Chargers’ Sterling Scholar in Visual Arts. “It’s a way to connect with people.”

 Larkins drew on childhood memories to connect with people for the merry and bright artwork that was selected to grace the cover of the District’s annual card. Her painting features a chipper snowman, colorful birds, and a child’s footprints and backpack in a snow globe.

 Every year, different students’ art is used for the holiday greeting Canyons sends out with our warmest wishes — from the White House to the Governor’s Mansion — on behalf of CSD’s Board of Education and administration.

 “The holidays are just a very warm, happy time, and something that’s universal to a lot of people,” said Larkins, who drew and painted her festive snow globe scene in Amanda Toler’s AP Drawing Class.

 “I thought of when I was a little kid coming home from school and there was snow on the ground, and there were snowmen, and it brought me a lot of joy. I just wanted to capture that from a little kid’s perspective.”

 Larkins is the daughter of Devin and Precy Larkins, her art mentor. She plans on studying art in college. After that, the world’s her canvas.