SHS students earn Scholastic art awards

The annual Scholastic Art Laurels contest allows students to compete to attain various awards. This year, out of the 12 SHS student winners, many received multiple awards. 11 honorable mentions, 11 silverish keys, and 9 gold keys were given to SHS students.

Art instructor Jessica Mohagen says the application process is extremely elementary and encourages all students to practise information technology, while requiring AP Fine art students to apply as office of their grade.

           "Damascus Gate" by Jamie Puppe –– Silver Key

"I think it's a proficient experience considering you never know what will happen. I'k surprised every twelvemonth," Mohagen said. "It'southward merely one competition. It doesn't mean everything, simply when you lot can get an award and recognition it's great. If y'all don't get an award or recognition, information technology's i fourth dimension."

Students who want to apply just upload their fine art and pick one out of the 16 categories for each piece that they submit. Although the application process may exist easy, awards are competitive, providing a adventure for the best artists to merits prestige. Out of all national entries, only v–7 percent were awarded gold keys; vii–10 per centum awarded silverish keys; and 10–15 percent awarded honorable mentions.

"Shorewood does an amazing job," Mohagen said. "The last 5 years I've been hither, we've had national awards every year."

Although Shorewood students were actively involved in the competition, the total number that applied was smaller than usual.

"This twelvemonth, we sent in near a third less of the work nosotros did final year. It's and then different when I can see kids v days a calendar week," Mohagen said. "I ordinarily tin recommend that a student should transport in work afterward I see information technology, or students may see other students' artwork and think they should participate."

Three of the twelve Shorewood winners of the Scholastic Fine art Awards shared their experience creating award-winning pieces and how COVID-xix impacted their own familiar art processes.

                     "Mother's Beloved" by Hiwot Schutz –– Gold Key

Jamie Puppe, inferior and winner of ii silver keys and two honorable mentions, has practiced photography seriously for the last five years. Puppe received her start silver primal in middle schoolhouse and won two gilded keys and one honorable mention her sophomore year. Puppe was able to attend previous Scholastic art exhibits at the Milwaukee Art Museum.

"You lot get to await at all of this fine art and it'due south inspiring and fun to exist around all of those other people," Puppe said.
"It's merely a cool event in general and so that's unremarkably my motivation to do information technology. It reignites the want to keep creating and be a role of it."

Unlike previous years, award winners are invited to a Virtual Scholastic Awards celebration on March 7 to honor themselves and other artists. Although this twelvemonth'south commemoration is not the same, the virtual issue will still exist a time for artists and their families to award winners' artistic accomplishments.

Austin Payne, senior and winner of an honorable mention, shares his journey every bit a start time competitor. Payne, an AP Art pupil, especially enjoys photography and has recently taken up the hobby as a more serious form of fine art.

"I've always enjoyed doing photography but I've definitely been stepping out of my comfort zone this yr," Payne said.

Although it has been challenging to not have daily teacher assistance, Payne reflects upon the importance of independence towards his art.

"I retrieve it makes me a better photographer to not take anyone helping me do annihilation," Payne said.

"At that place's So Much More" by Austin Payne –– Honorable Mention

Hiwot Schutz, senior, was awarded two gold keys, two silver keys, and i honorable mention. Schutz, an AP Fine art pupil, participated in the competition the previous year, winning a gold key for photography. Schutz, too, reflected on the importance of quarantine for fine art creation.

"I seriously took upward photography my sophomore year and that was my master thing, until I started to motion on to painting and mixed media," Schutz said. "Quarantine, in general, has helped me be able to explore my art style."

Each winner receives a certificate of completion, and has the opportunity to win scholarships and develop professional connections.

"They get money or scholarships through local communities, businesses, and art museums or they will accept someone run across it and inquire to buy it," Mohagen said. "It'southward a really great way to show your voice and also start realizing your piece of work is worth something."

For those interested in viewing Wisconsin youth's laurels-winning artwork, Wisconsin's exhibition of the state'south Scholastic art volition be hosted online starting from February six through March 21 on

mam.org. If you would like to view Shorewood students' art simply, Mohagen volition release a compilation of the commended works in the coming weeks.

Shorewood students' eagerness to compete and express their identity through different forms of art continues, even in the midst of a global pandemic. Artists challenged themselves to attain new artistic accomplishments while letting new opportunities fuel their motivation.

To see a full listing of winners and their artwork, click the link below:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Gw4wyRsNHEJnmMBTJghKPPGKJ–8rUHEkAEmhFBhjVA/edit?usp=sharing