Exhibition celebrates student art
TEXARKANA, Texas — Young people and their proud loved ones filled the Regional Arts Center on Sunday to celebrate the skill and creativity of the Twin Cities’ student artists.
The Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council’s annual Student Juried Exhibition spotlighted almost 200 artworks selected by juror Sarah Burns from among almost 1,000 submissions. Best of show, first place, second place and third place winners in the exhibition’s elementary, middle school and high school divisions took home ribbons, certificates and prize money for their efforts.
“When I gaze upon art, I’m drawn to visible traces of the artistry process. I relish contemplating the journey, as far as inspiration, deliberate choices and the evolution of ideas, imperfection, revisions, struggle, because they’re all hallmarks of an authentic artistic expression,” said Burns, a Little Rock-based artist and art educator.
For middle school division Best of Show winner Cecilia Obeng, inspiration for her piece “Cats of the Apocalypse” came from a photo of a tiger.
“I was like, you know, I haven’t done tigers in a while. And I wanted to draw a big cat because I have a cat of my own. And I had drawn the tigers and my cat, and then I realized I forgot to add the stripes. And I was near the end, so I was like, just call them cats, not tigers,” Obeng said.
Ruby Rehkopf, high school division Best of Show winner, said her multimedia piece “Seven Hundred BCE” is about dead languages.
“So it’s this guy. He’s holding these papers. He’s like, I don’t get it. I don’t understand. And these other hands are reaching out to him, like with their like native tongue, like, please just keep it alive,” she said.
Rehkopf is about to graduate from high school and plans to pursue art education as a career.
Awardees in the exhibition’s three divisions follow.
ELEMENTARY DIVISION
Best of Show — “Total Eclipse of the Art” by Kilpatrick Elementary grades K-5
People’s Choice — “Phoenix in Flight” by Harlow Russell
First Place — “A Quiet Space” by Aria Shuffield
Second Place — “Phoenix in Flight” by Harlow Russell
Third Place — “Fallen Angel” by Enayah Hall
Honorable Mention — “Suspicious Mother” by Ollie Orr
Honorable Mention — “The Desert Hog Monster” by Charlestin Johnson
Merit Award — “Goldilocks” by Sofía Ruiz
Merit Award — “Eggs and Bacon” by Charlie Coxhe
MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION
Best of Show — “Cats of the Apocalypse” by Cecilia Obeng
People’s Choice — “Untitled” by Eisley Matthews
First Place — “Sparkling in the Stars” by Ava Gray Brisco
Second Place — “Hello My Name Is?” by Hollyn Gerrald
Third Place — “Mindless” by Johnny O’shaughnessy
Honorable Mention — “Sunrise, Sunset on El Capitan, Yosemite Valley” by Anna Ransom
Honorable Mention — “Within Her” by Ava Gray Brisco
Merit Award — “Untitled” by Eisley Matthews
Merit Award — “I <3 U” by Ashlin Mcright
HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION
Best of Show — “Seven Hundred BCE” by Ruby Rehkopf
People’s Choice — “Unleash the Beast” by Martavious Smith
First Place — “Autism Me” by Skylar Nations
Second Place — “Breakout” by Eddie Hill III
Third Place — “Las Bellas Del Barrio” by Adamari Jimenez
Honorable Mention — “We Will Deliver” by Maddox Stone
Honorable Mention — “Mood Swings” by Markayla Neal
Merit Award — “Tree” by Josue Vega
Merit Award — “Introspection” by Kylee Ussery