HOW TO GO
What: Miami Valley Regional Scholastic Art Awards
Where: TEJAS Gallery, 510 E. Third St.
When: Continues through Feb. 22
HOW TO GO
What: Awards Ceremony
When: 6-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15 (grades 7-9); 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16 (grades 10-12)
Where: Black Box Improv Theater, 518 E. Third St., Dayton
More info: (937) 461-5149 or http://tejasgallery.org
Sometimes a spark of genius starts early in life, as shown at the current exhibit at the TEJAS Gallery in Dayton.
You can see that creativity from area visual arts students that made it to the Gold Key and Silver Key Award levels for the Scholastic Art Awards. Students from Greene, Montgomery, Preble, Darke, Logan, Clark and Champaign counties submitted works for consideration. More than 700 submissions were received.
“This is a national art competition that’s been around since 1923,” said TEJAS program coordinator Rebecca Sargent. “People like Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath and Robert Redford competed when they were kids. It’s the premier art competition nationally.”
American Vision Best in Show Awards: "Pears and Bullets" clay vessels by Sophie Davidson, Stivers; "Odyssey," a photograph by Samantha Enright of Stivers; "Portrait of a Young Lady" photograph by Julia Tarpey of Yellow Springs; "The Unknown and the Lonely" drawing by Morgan Strahorn of Stivers; and "Train Tracks," an abstract oil painting by ninth grader Kristen Wagers of Stivers.
Gold Key Portfolio Awards: From Stivers School for the Arts, in Dayton — Chelsea Carter, Colin Gutridge and Kelsee Thomas.
Gold Key Winners: From Stivers — Maria Arias, Luke Bergeron, Byron Berry, Robert Berry, Gabriel Coomer, Markita Cummings, Nadja Dewberry, Solomon Dickerson, Michael Eggleton, Hakim Elias, Shayleigh Frank, Darold Highsmith, Anthonee Hunter, Mackenzie Kennie, Barry Kingston, Khadzhi Komilov (two works), Andrew Lark, Ciara Lewis, Sam Lober, Antonia Merritt, Amalia Petreman, Candace Pettiford, Hannah Pettiford, Michael Pettiford, Dariyan Pinson, Ryene Smith, Tailor Smith, and Morgan Strahorn (two Golds, one Best in Show).
From Beavercreek High School: Kellie Becknell, Zoe Grieze (two works), Natasha Lugo, Alexis Schankin and Chris Stark.
From Yellow Springs/McKinney High School: Benjamin Green, Julia Tarpey
From Valley View: Megan Grote, Josie Libecap, Annie Noelker, Jessie Noelker (two works)
In addition, there are 90 Silver Key works presented, and 150 Honorable Mention works that will be shown on a video presentation at the gallery.
“With it being our first full-time to facilitate the show, Stivers is by far the best art school in our region,” said K12/TEJAS founder and director Jerri Stanard.
“However, art teachers in other areas are saying they too would like to learn how to expand their students’ ability. To me that’s a real success for Dayton.”
These Best in Show and Gold Key winners will compete at the national level in New York City. Last year, the keynote speaker at the national awards ceremony was Merrill Streep, the legendary actress.
The judges of the TEJAS exhibit were: Glen Cebulash, Shayna McConville, Tracey Longley-Cook, Stefan Chinov, Tess Cortes, Landon Crowell, Tess Little, Geno Luketic, Glenna Jennings and Jeffrey Cortland Jones.
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