Young area artists exhibit more than 600 pieces
by April 5, 2009 5:44 pm 66 views
More than 100 students, parents, educators and art supporters gathered Sunday at the Center for Art & Education in Van Buren and at the Elm Grove Community Center at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Fort Smith.
The gathering was part of the 10th Annual River Valley Student Art Competition that featured 383 submissions from area students in grades kindergarten through 6th, and 218 submission from area students in 7th through 12th grades.
“This annual event is one of the strongest ways we can benefit our communities’ youth,” noted a joint statement from Teresa Carver, director of the Fort Smith Art Center, and Jane Owen, director of the Center for Art & Education. “By providing encouragement and recognition for young artists, we hope to give them a head start in achieving their dreams.”
The K-6th grade art and ceremony was held at the Van Buren center, with the upper grades exhibited at the Elm Grove Community Center.
The two art centers coordinate the event, with key sponsorship provided by the Arkansas Arts Council, Arvest, Calvert McBride Inc., The Fiori Family Chartable Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation.
The art jurors were Eileen Dinely Blatz and John Lasater IV.
A portion of the jurors’ statement from Lasater noted: “Eileen and I even noticed specific things about each age category: the freedom of expression in the K-3rd grade; the technical fine-tuning in the 4th-6th grade; the emotional exploration in the 7th-9th grade; and finally, the blended maturity of the 10th-12th grade.”
The Best of Show winners were:
• Morgan Hanna, (category K-3)
2nd grade, Christ the King school
“Still Life”
coordinating teacher: Shawn Adair
• Payton Crawford (category 4-6)
6th grade, Alma Middle School
“Weaving”
coordinating teacher: Jennifer Pitts
• Justin Chance, (category 7-9)
9th grade, Raymond Wells Junior High
“The Written Lilly”
coordinating teacher: Mrs. Goodwin
• Rachel Forbes, (category 10-12)
12th grade, Waldron High School
“The Man”
coordinating teacher: Kathy Powell
