On Thursday, April 11, 2019, Olivet Nazarene University hosted the “1st Annual Sangamon Valley Conference Art Showcase” for seven area high schools through a collaboration between the Department of Art and Digital Media and the School of Education.
The intent of the showcase was to celebrate the talent of students, to demonstrate the capabilities of certain media including printmaking and watercolor, and to encourage students to pursue a path of higher education.
More than 85 students participated in the art showcase, collectively submitting 152 works of art. Teachers from each school pre-selected advanced art students to enter artwork in the juried competition.
The event included art demonstrations from Olivet professors, a tour of the campus by art student ambassadors, lunch hosted by the Office of Admissions, and a final awards program. In addition to recognizing top talent in each of 12 categories, one “Best in Show” title was awarded and six scholarships were offered by the Department of Art and Digital Media to be applied toward Olivet tuition.
The closing reception for the exhibition will be held on Thursday, May 2, 2019 from 6 – 8 p.m. in Weber Leadership Center. The exhibition will feature 21 selected works of art.
Category winners include:
Best in Show: Avanna Lowery (Clifton Central High School), “Untitled,” acrylic on canvas
Best Graphic Design/Digital Art: Rhayne Davis (Momence High School), “Troubled,” digital
Best Multimedia: Carlos Pizano (Iroquois West High School), “Leave it Til the End,” animation
Best Watercolor: Holly Wingren (Watseka Community High School), “Wanderer,” watercolor, pen, ink
Best 2D Color: Miles Schunke (Iroquois West High School), “Be Still,” 2D color
Best 2D graphite: Hope Pletting (Watseka Community High School), “Life and Existence,” pen, ink
Best Printmaking: Tony Betsworth (Dwight Township High School), “Shark Tooth”
Best Acrylic Painting: Anna Smedlund (Momence High School), “Roy,” acrylic
Best Oil Painting: Angelina Collazo (Momence High School), “Avocados,” oil painting
Best Photography: Hailey Fontaine (Clifton Central High School), “Untitled (Leaf),” digital imaging
Best 3D Ceramic: Liz Moore (Paxto-Buckley-Loda High School), “Heartache,” ceramic
Best 3D Small Sculpture: Sydney Brust (Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School), “Space Exploration”
Best Scratch Art: Adriana Schroeder (Iroquois West High School), “Unwind,” 2D black and white
For more information about the Department of Art and Digital Media, and other areas of study, contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@olivet.edu or 800-648-1463.
Photos submitted and used with permission.
Published 4/25/19
