For eight years, Leilynn Singh has lived in Thornwood, where she’s grown both as a neighbor and as an artist. “My favorite part of living in Thornwood is the community,” she says. “I love how when you go on a walk, people will always say hi.” That sense of everyday connection influences her work, which blends emotion, storytelling, and technique through photography and mixed media.

Leilynn’s creative journey began in childhood with a borrowed phone or her 3DS in hand, capturing moments wherever she could. Everything shifted when she picked up a DSLR camera in seventh grade. From there, her curiosity turned into commitment. She taught herself photography, experimenting constantly and taking photos whenever the opportunity arose.

At St. Charles North High School, Leilynn took her skills even further. She enrolled in photography classes and fell in love with film. “Film photography will always have my entire heart,” she says. “I love the darkroom and the entire process of developing film.” As her confidence grew, she expanded into mixed media, which earned her first place in the Dukane Art Show.

Leilynn also became a varsity photographer for St. Charles North Football, also working with the volleyball, softball, and soccer teams. Whether she’s documenting a fast-paced play or a quiet sideline moment, her goal remains the same: capturing and representing emotions. Leilynn says, “When I do sports photography, I try to capture the raw emotions of the players. When I create fine art, I try to visually represent my emotions.”

One of her most personal pieces is Big Laugh, created in AP Art class. Each week, her classmates would trigger uncontrollable laughter, earning her the nickname “LYNN BIG LAUGH.” The piece shows everyone laughing, layered with a photo of her in full laughter—her way of preserving that memory forever. “It meant the world to me that my friends not only knew me by my laugh but made it a tradition to enjoy a big Lynn laugh.”

Though early critics said her work was “nothing special,” Leilynn has since proven otherwise. Her art has been showcased by the St. Charles Arts Council, and her portfolio continues to grow through school events, newspapers, protests, and creative projects.

Her advice to others: “My best work has come from trying new things and forcing myself out of my comfort zone.”