Huntsville, Ala. – The Huntsville Museum of Art (HMA) proudly presents its 31st celebration of Youth Art Month (YAM) with the YAM 2018: Exhibition for Youth Art Month on display now through April 29. The opening celebration and awards ceremony took place on Sunday, March 11 with Congressman Mo Brooks and Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle presenting awards for the Congressional Art Competition and the Visual Arts Achievement Program.
“The YAM 2018: Exhibition for Youth Art Month demonstrates the creativity and collaboration of the talented youth whose artwork emphasizes the quality arts in education programs in North Alabama,” said Laura E. Smith, Director of Education/Museum Academy at HMA. “Join us as we celebrate the month of March as Youth Art Month – Museum visitors will have the opportunity to view portraits, landscapes and still-lifes done in a variety of media from drawing, painting, ceramics and mixed media.”
Each spring since 1982, a nation-wide high school arts competition is sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Congressional Art Competition is an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in each congressional district. This competition is open to all high school students. The Huntsville Museum of Art serves as the host of Congressman Mo Brook’s 5th District. The overall winner will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. A total of 224 pieces of artwork were juried by a panel of three judges (art professors from Alabama A&M University and UAHuntsville, and an art educator).
The following is the overall winner from the Congressional Art Competition:
Jessica Morrow
Brewer High School, 11th Grade
Art Teacher: Amber King
Child of Africa, graphite
The following are the honorable mentions from the Congressional Art Competition:
Hannah Howe
James Clemens High School, 11th Grade
Art Teacher: Elizabeth Vaughn
Congressional Art Competition Honorable Mention 2018 – Painting
Lively, oil on wooden panel
Elisa Castneda
Bob Jones High School, 12th Grade
Art Teacher: Robin Lakso
Congressional Art Competition Honorable Mention 2018 – Drawing
More than a Pretty Picture, graphite
Prudence Brasher
St. John Paul II Catholic High School, 10th Grade
Art Teacher: Payge Semmes
Congressional Art Competition Honorable Mention 2018 – Printmaking
Waves, linoleum block print
Chasity Hernandez
Priceville High School, 12th Grade
Art Teacher: Beth Walldorf
Congressional Art Competition Honorable Mention 2018 – Mixed Media
Genocide, mixed media
George Bravo
Scottsboro High School, 11th Grade
Art Teacher: Angel Chaney
Congressional Art Competition Honorable Mention 2018 – Photography
Sanguine, photography
Emma Hovanes
Randolph School, 12th Grade
Art Teacher: Peter Townsend
Congressional Art Competition Honorable Mention 2018 – Computer Images
Plaster, inkjet print
The Visual Arts Achievement (VAA) Program provides an opportunity for talented middle and high school students in Alabama to receive local and state recognition for their achievements in visual arts. The program is designed to showcase the quality art created by middle and high school students enrolled in public and private schools throughout the state. On behalf of The Alabama State Council on the Arts, the Huntsville Museum of Art hosts this regional competition for District V. There are 19 North Alabama counties invited to participate in this competition.
Since the competition was conducted locally, all artwork was delivered to the Huntsville Museum of Art, where a panel of three judges (art professors from Alabama A&M University and UAHuntsville, and an art educator) juried 341 pieces of artwork. A total of 17 pieces were selected to be the Blue Ribbon Finalists. Those works will be exhibited in the Georgine Clarke Alabama Artists Gallery of the Alabama State Council on the Arts April 2-27. Awards and recognition ceremonies will be held April 27 from 1:00 pm in Montgomery.
The following are the Blue Ribbon Finalists from the Visual Arts Achievement Program:
Luke Alison
Randolph, 11th Grade
Art Teacher: Cecelia Little Duncan
Chip n’Dip, ceramic
Ashley Buchheit
St. John Paul II Catholic High, 10th Grade
Art Teacher: Payge Semmes
Honey, linoleum block print
Ellie Crane
Academy for Academics & Arts, 8th Grade
Art Teacher: Mary Vande Voorde
Strolling Through Clover, photography
Summerlin Crawford
James Clemens High, 12th Grade
Art Teacher: Elizabeth Vaughn
Nikko’s Adventure, computer image
Kyle Dodd
Randolph, 7th Grade
Art Teacher: Michael Read
Untitled, monoprint and oil pastel
Lydia Forkum
Scottsboro High, 12th Grade
Art Teacher: Angel Chaney
Kneel, sculpture
Ysabella Goodman
Cherokee High, 7th Grade
Art Teacher: Pam Burns
Dove Reflections, photography
Anna Katherine Jones
Randolph, 7th Grade
Art Teacher: Mary Flynn Jones
Windy Meadows, tempera and oil pastel
Ange Long
James Clemens High, 11th Grade
Art Teacher: Elizabeth Vaughn
Wonder, acrylic
Sarah Loper
Grissom High, 12th Grade
Art Teacher: John Wright
24 Karats, digital photography
Michael McGinley
Bob Jones High, 10th Grade
Art Teacher: Robin Lakso
Rolling City, pen and ink
Shelby Mayo
Decatur High, 12th Grade
Art Teacher: Gary Evans
Coat of Many Colors, digital photography
Mason Mulrooney
Randolph, 11th Grade
Art Teacher: Peter Townsend
Primary, computer images
Flor Pascual
Decatur High, 12th Grade
Art Teacher: Robert Belcher
Frida Re-Imagined, mixed media
Audrey Patton
Discovery Middle, 8th Grade
Art Teacher: Judy Bagwell
Blank Page, graphite
Olivia Price
Academy for Science and Foreign Language, 8th Grade
Art Teacher: Lenore Corey
The Wolf’s Song, mixed media
Gabrielle Caudle-Williams
Academy for Academics and Arts, 8th Grade
Art Teacher: Mary Vande Voorde
Creativity is in Your Hands, sculpture
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About Youth Art Month
Youth Art Month is observed nationally each March to emphasize the value of art education for children and to encourage public support for quality school art programs.
Sponsors
Lead Sponsor: Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Alabama
Sponsors: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, Joyce Griffin, Walmart
Additional Support: The Alabama State Council on the Arts; Alabama Arts Alliance; Huntsville Museum of Art Guild;
Frame World Art Gallery; The National Art Education Association; Alabama Art Education Association; Alabama State Department of Education; and the Huntsville-Madison County Art Education Association.