(Middlefield, OH) - As Wesley Soltis’ senior year is just days away from ending and he thinks about the next stage of his life, it’s no doubt that the senior is admired by not just his classmates, but every person he comes into contact with. The senior who attends Auburn Career Center for the Interactive Multimedia Program and who has also studied the principles of graphic design, photography and professional industry standards. He describes himself as an “artistic, quiet, and yet creative individual” and who shares a lot of similar interests as his classmates such as watching classic movies, enjoying nature, and playing video games. There is something that separates him from his classmates and that is when he was presented with an opportunity of a lifetime.
While at Auburn, Soltis could earn up to 21 college credits if he wishes to pursue those courses, while also earning a certificate in the following programs; CareerSafe OSHA 10-Hour General Industry Training, CompTIA IT Fundamentals Certification, Adobe Certified Associate Photoshop, Premiere ProFlash Professional and InDesign. Students could choose from the following career pathways: graphic designer, marketing, advertising executive, public relations, multimedia technician, production assistant, game designer, photographer, broadcaster, web designer, and social media manager.
“My classmate Troy is Jennifer Francisco’s son and he mentioned that I was a good artist. Mrs. Francisco reached out to my mom and asked if I would be interested in drawing a few pictures for something she had in mind to write. I accepted,” said Soltis.
“With Wesley, I approached Holly Soltis ( his mother) first because she is his biggest advocate,” said Francisco. “Troy told me that Wesley could draw really well and even though he works, he still might be interested. After talking with them both, we agreed to move forward with the work.”
That “work” was a storybook that was centered around a barn’s point of view. The inspiration came after Jennifer Francisco felt the empathy of seeing seasoned barns being torn down just to rebuild new ones.
“I love old barns,” said Francisco.“I used to watch BarnWood Builders a long time ago, and their purpose was to tear down old barns and build new homes or cabins with the old wood. I love to take photos and one day while I was driving around taking pictures, I saw a man burning down this huge barn. I had to pull over and stop, it just broke my heart. It was at that moment I remembered helping farmer Ward, and all the fun I had in that barn when I was growing up. I knew I had to write a story from the barn's point of view but I didn’t want it to be sad, so I gave it a twist with the cabin for a happy ending.”
Fred would be her second book written, the first about a personal battle with arthritis.
“Everyone in the story is/was a part of my childhood. I had a neighbor and his first name was Fred and he used to tell me that I could be whatever I wanted to be, I just had to put myself out there and he assured me I could be more than what everyone thought,” said Francisco.
But what made this book so special was the beauty of illustrations drawn by Soltis but also the determination from Francisco and Soltis, and the team they proved they could be.
“I could have hired anyone to illustrate this book for me but I wanted a completely different view from someone who has never done this before and Wesley was perfect. He was willing to take a chance and try, and he is now an official illustrator. I am very proud of him for taking a chance in this chapter of his life,” said Francisco.
When we talked with Wesley and his mom about the experience, he was honest with us.
“My least favorite thing about illustrating this at first was the stress of having a deadline,” said Soltis. “Mrs. Francisco was easy to work with though. She reassured me that school work came first. We decided on a two week deadline for each picture and more time if needed. It didn’t take me two weeks to draw each picture though and the time gave me freedom to draw when I felt moved.”
The two would communicate back and forth about ideas that they had, and then come to an agreement, together.
“Anything I asked Wesley to do, he was all in. Everything from the dog, tractor, to the nuts and bolts on the picnic table. He never told me no, he always said he could try and that is all I asked for. I learned a lot from Wesley. I learned that he does not like a lot of fuss, and if he puts his mind to it he can do anything and do it well,” said Francisco.
Soltis talked about the partnership and the easy connection that the two had from the start.
“Mrs. Francisco would text my mom her ideas, and I would ask a few questions to get a feel for the scene. Then, I would draw them,” said Soltis. “If she wanted anything added or not included she would tell me and I would change it accordingly. Not many edits were made. Drawing for her was easier than I thought it would be.”
Wesley spent several hours and days, perfecting the illustrations so they matched the book just right. It was when Soltis was alone when he could do his best thinking.
“I think my favorite part of creating the illustrations of the book was the quietness of the place when drawing them,” said Soltis. “I also really enjoyed being able to focus on a task that I liked.”
As for what is next for Wesley and his future, he is unsure of where life will take him, but he knows that he wants to pursue a career where he can use his art and design skills.
“I would like to possibly use my artistic and creative abilities to become a graphic designer, illustrator, writer and independent artist,” said Soltis. “And I would like to thank Mrs. Francisco for giving me the opportunity to showcase my illustration skills. It gave me the confidence to pursue artistic endeavors. Mrs. Fransisco’s short story and my pictures really make for a wholesome experience when you read it.”
Jennifer Francisco is looking to continue her skills, too and wants to focus on someone who is willing to be seen and heard for their disabilities in her next book. In an email, she states that she wants to “focus on how not every person is perfect, and to help others accept the difference that we all have.”
“I would like people to remember that not all things come in the form of electronics. By going “old school” and just drawing, or reading a book that you can hold in your hand takes you to a whole new place. You can discover different cultures and colors. You can see what others see through their eyes, and take the time to step back and say, “Wow!” I never thought of it that way and it would help us all understand each other a little better nowadays,” said Francisco on what she hopes her book can bring to the community readers.