News - Visual Arts

Impressive Recognition for Student Artists

02.21.12

Waterford visual arts students recently received impressive recognition in several different venues.

Congratulations to our talented students for another outstanding showing at the Regional level of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards — the oldest and most prestigious program in the country. Our region includes most or all of AZ, CO, ID, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, and WY. Of the 50 regional awards received by Utah visual artists, 32 were won by Waterford students. This included 14 Gold Key Awards, 9 Silver Key Awards, and 9 Honorable Mentions. Additionally, 3 of our Gold Key winning pieces were chosen as American Visions Nominees (considered the “best in show” award — out of 5 nominees total from the entire region!). All Gold Key winners advance to the National competition; we are now eagerly awaiting these results, which will be announced in mid-March. Please click here to see a gallery of the work that was recognized.

Waterford Art Students Win National Awards

03.29.11

Hearty congratulations to Waterford Juniors Kasandra Rasmussen and Sierra Kane, whose photographic work recently won national recognition.

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards were founded in 1923. This program to recognize young artists and writers is the oldest, largest, and most prestigious in the nation, and over the years has honored notable artists like Andy Warhol and Richard Avedon, among many others. This year over 185,000 works were entered. You may have already heard that Waterford students did very well at the Regional level of judging — 10 students won a total of 13 Gold Key awards, by far the most of any Utah high school.

At the National level, students can be recognized with even higher honors. Less than one percent of entries receive a National Gold or Silver Medal.

Kasandra received a National Silver Medal for her photograph, Discovery. Scholastic says that Silver Medals are given to “works demonstrating high honors at the national level.”

Sierra received a National Gold Medal for her photograph, Reflection. Scholastic says that Gold Medals are reserved for “the most outstanding works in the nation.” Her photo will be on display with other winners in New York City, and she is invited to the awards ceremony at Carnegie Hall.

Discovery, by Kasandra Rasmussen

Reflection, by Sierra Kane

Waterford Student Artists Recognized

02.11.11

{{{UPDATE, Feb. 20: More honors for our artists from the Springville Museum of Art Annual All-State High School Exhibition. Six of our students had work accepted into the show: Stephania Adondakis, Carol Beck, Peter Beck, Emily Jensen, Laura Lee Judd, and Alatini James Kaumavae. Additionally, when the special awards were handed out, Peter received the Congressional Award Honorable Mention, and Laura Lee received the Juror’s Award for Excellence.}}}

Congratulations to our talented students for an outstanding showing at the Regional level of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Of the 17 Gold Key Awards received by Utah visual artists, 12 were won by Waterford students! All Gold Key winners advance to the National competition; we are now eagerly awaiting these results, which will be announced in March.

Seniors Zephani Huang, Emily Jensen, Mackenzie Martin, Carol Chase Peterson, and Kathryn Van Sleen received Gold Key Awards for their portfolios. Five other students received awards for individual works: Sierra Kane and Emma Miller each had two pieces selected, and Stephania Adondakis, Kasandra Rasmussen and Chandler Rosenberg each had one. Emma also received a Gold Key for her poetry submission!

From the Scholastic Awards website (artandwriting.org):

“The regional judging of the 2011 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is complete…. Students from [your] region submitted a record-breaking 12,000 works of art and writing. The list of Gold Key recipients is now available online. Works that receive Gold Keys are automatically forwarded for National judging.

Congratulations to the Gold Key recipients and to all of the students who submitted artwork! Since 1923, The Awards have recognized some of America’s most celebrated artists while they were teenagers, including: Andy Warhol, Richard Avedon, Cy Twombly, Robert Indiana, Kay WalkingStick, Philip Pearlstein, and John Baldessari. We’re proud to count Gold Key recipients among them and this generation’s rising artists!"

Images are below:

Waterford Student Work Featured in New Book

10.27.10

Every year, Waterford art teacher Suzanne Conine travels to NCECA, the national ceramics conference that features high-level workshops, professional art from all over the world, and a highly selective National Juried Exhibition of student work. Waterford students consistently receive high recognitions in this competition. Last year, Suzanne received a call from Maureen Mackey, an author who was putting together a new edition of her textbook, Experience Clay. Ms. Mackey was familiar with the Waterford program from the excellent work she had seen at NCECA, and asked Suzanne if Waterford would consider contributing images to her book. This book was published recently, and we are proud to note that our program contributed 38 images, including one on the back cover and a two page spread on mask-making from a live model. Below is a small sampling of Waterford student work that appeared in the book.

Public Art

06.15.10

The Utah Transit Authority held a competition for groups of young artists from schools all over the valley. Two entries from Waterford were chosen to be on permanent display at the 9400 South 2000 East Park & Ride station. Congratulations to Mrs. Conine’s Upper School students and Mrs. Kitchens’ Class II students! Participating artists were invited to the unveiling of the murals in May.