Andy Award Recipient Eden N. ’25 Explores the Arts in Paris
Eden N., a senior at Westover, was named the 2025 Andy Award recipient, an honor recognizing students who pursue their artistic passions beyond campus. This summer, Eden took her creativity across the Atlantic to study painting in Paris, France.
The Andy Award supports Westover students interested in exploring the arts during the summer, in any form—writing, painting, drawing, theater, music, and more. The award gives students the freedom to dedicate focused time to their craft and discover new ways of creating.
At Westover, Eden’s coursework includes Oil Painting and Digital Photography. She also pursues her creative endeavors in the Louise Bulkley Dillingham performing arts center on and off-stage in her Afternoon Activities, theater and theater tech. These experiences on campus strengthened both her creative technique and her ability to collaborate toward a shared artistic vision.
Through the Parsons Paris Summer Pre-College program, Eden spent three weeks immersed in art and culture. For a student who had always dreamed of studying abroad, the experience was both a creative and personal milestone.
“Being in a different culture and learning environment helped me grow in my art and my experience,” Eden shared. “I brought back not only what I learned in the classroom, but also the perspectives and insights I gained while abroad.”
In Paris, Eden took Explorations in Painting, a course centered on experimentation and personal expression. A memorable lesson came when her teacher handed her a large sheet of paper covering four feet of the classroom wall and gave this prompt: no words, no figures, no black paint, no planning. Just paint.
Trusting her instincts, Eden embraced spontaneity and creative freedom.
“This experience really challenged me to trust myself and my ideas more,” she reflected. “Before, I often second guessed my work or felt like I needed a clear plan before starting something. During the program, especially in the core classes, I learned to let go of that need for control and just create. It pushed me to have confidence in my instincts. That shift in mindset helped me grow not just technically, but creatively, and it changed the way I approach my work now.”
Eden’s work often centers on perspective and storytelling. She uses bold colors to evoke emotion and invite viewers to see familiar subjects through a new lens.
Now in her final year at Westover, Eden brings her renewed confidence and creative risk-taking to AP Studio Art. Alongside the pieces she created in Paris, she carries the lessons, inspiration, and global perspective that continue to shape her artistic journey.
Be Boldly You
Westover School admits students of any race, color, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin, or disability to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. As a gender-diverse girls school, Westover welcomes applicants and students who are assigned female at birth and/or identify as girls. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law in the administration of its educational policies, admissions and financial aid policies, and athletic or other school-administered programs.