Alexander Baraona’s Arts and Interests Portfolio

Application to Hawken School

This compilation of my interests and hobbies serves to help you better understand me as a person, as a part of my application.
I hope to see you soon at Hawken!

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Digital Art Painting Aerial Silks Masks and Puppets Writing

Digital Art

All digital art is created using Procreate software on an iPad. Many pieces utilize unique characters with full backstories and are involved with a storyline. Recently, my focus has been on bringing these stories and characters to life through methods of animation.

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Lettie "Topaz" Hawthorne

Sirius

Pandora

Isabelle Valentine

Scary Stories by the Fireside

Painting

All paintings are acrylic on canvas. These examples were created in a Cleveland Institute of Art weekend class or summer camp in the last year. Painting is important to me because it’s an expressive and artistic method to process emotions and convey messages to audiences in a way that transcends language.

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Ballerina

Carnival Mask

Ocean Light

The Waiting Room

Aerial Silks

I have been practicing aerial silks for two-to-three years at Be Fitness Studio in Cleveland/Lakewood. This sport is valuable to me because it’s unique, and challenges not only my body but also my ability to comprehend complex instructions and focus on the moment. Recently, I’ve been practicing advancing my technique and working with more complex instructions, as well as increasing plain physical strength and flexibility.

I’m showcasing this sport because, over the years that I’ve been participating, I’ve grown significantly, both physically and mentally, and I believe that it demonstrates my resilience and persistence.

Performance Sample

My performance in June 2025. Music: Wolf, by First Aid Kit

Skills Clips

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Spinning Entrance to Belay / Belay Drop.

Candy Cane Wrap to Running Man Combo. (With Pose Displays)

Spinning Sail Pose.

Slowed Cupid’s Bow Entrance.

Spinning Angel’s Fall / Floor Wrap Crunch Up (Stylized Conditioning).

Masks and Puppets

I create masks and other interactive arts to wear and display. These works take anywhere from 4 - 20+ hours to create.

Click on any image to view larger and roll over the larger image for materials list and approximate dimensions.

Black Dragon Mask

Maned Wolf

Riot

Writing Samples

I have done many works of writing, across multiple genres and topics, mostly in the poetic style you will see below. Writing is a vital form of art that I use to convey and organize my thoughts in an appealing and creative way.

I’ve particularly focused on describing complex emotions and experiences, always looking for ways to better immerse my readers in the piece.

Click to read a selection of 4 poems I wrote during the past 2 years.