New York, NY – Ten student artists who won Gold and Silver Awards in Connecticut’s 18th Regional Scholastic Art Awards held in January, have been selected for the 84th National Scholastic Art Awards in New York City and will be honored at a gala celebration on June 15 at Carnegie Hall. Gold Medalists and one Silver Medalist also will have their work exhibited at the Reeves Contemporary Gallery, 534 West 24th St., New York.
Gold Award winners are selected at the national Scholastics level from regional winners and demonstrate the most outstanding achievement in technique, originality and personal vision.
Connecticut winners include, in Group I (grades 7-8)
Chelsey Logan, ceramics, Irving Robbins Middle School, Farmington, Ann Trambert, teacher;
Jasmine Smiley, ceramics, Illing Middle School, Manchester, Carmella Clancio, teacher; and
Taylor Boyd, painting, Tomlinson Middle School, Fairfield, David Ward, teacher.
Group II (grades 9-12):
Leslie Rose, mixed media, Fairfield/Ludlowe High School, Fairfield, Virginia Zimmerman, teacher;
Daniel Boccato, drawing, Hall High School, West Hartford, Anthony Billard, teacher. Daniel Boccato also won the Connecticut American Visions Award in drawing.
Silver Award winners, Group II (grades 9-12) include
Gaya Morris, painting, Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, Robert Mattoan, teacher, (her work will also be included in the National exhibition);
Julia Rueckert, painting, Greens Farms Academy, Westport, Nancy McTague-Stock, teacher;
Candace Breakell, portfolio, Wamogo High School, Litchfield, Wendy Costa, teacher;
Alex Psillos, portfolio, Valley Regional High School, Deep River, Val Kropiwnicki, teacher.
“Congratulations are due all these talented students and due also to their dedicated art teachers,” Chip Zellner, Connecticut Scholastic Awards Project Chair said in reporting the national award winners.
The Connecticut Art Education Association organizes the statewide competition which has become the largest student visual arts event in the state. It is part of the National Scholastic Art Awards program which was created in New York in 1927 and is now the largest and oldest arts competition in the country. Student works are entered initially by art teachers and a jury of professionals and university art faculty make the final selections. This year l,365 works, representing 134 schools, were entered, and 631 works were awarded 205 Gold Keys (including 77 Gold Portfolios) 156 Silver Keys and 270 Honorable Mention Awards.
Co-sponsor and host of the Connecticut exhibition and awards ceremony, the Hartford Art School, University of Hartford, also awarded 14 art scholarships this year. Support is provided in part by the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.