More than 100 students from eight area high schools currently have their works on exhibit until March 7 in Tryon as part of the Showcase of Excellence at Tryon Fine Arts Center.
Showcase of Excellence, a juried art show, is an annual celebration of art students and classrooms in the foothills. Art educators in Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina were invited to submit student work. Winners were recently celebrated at a reception at the Tryon Depot, located on 22 Depot St. and home of the current exhibit.
Retired Polk County art teacher Clara Rogers judged the artworks in six categories including mixed media, photography, printmaking, painting, sculpture and drawing.
Art teachers and schools that are represented in the exhibit include Jeff Thomas, Polk County High School; Hague Williams, Landrum High School; Amanda Keith and Mindie Tumblin, Boiling Springs High School; Ashley Burnett and Brandy McDaniel, Chapman High School; Amy Workman, Frances Vaughn, and Robert Urban, Dorman High School; Robert Wallace, East Henderson High School; David Krenek, North Henderson High School, and Allison Duncan and Michael Parker, Greer High School.
First place and Best In Show student winners received a cash award of $100. For each top student award, teachers won $250 in grant money to be used in their classrooms.
The following are winners in each category:
Best in Show: Querencia (drawing), Melissa Trejo-Villa, Greer HS.
Mixed Media
First: Ferris Wheel, Kayla Williams, Polk County HS; Second: Blue-bird, Kaden Loyer, Polk County HS; Third: Remember, Sarah Hoffman, Dorman HS; Honorable Mention: Betta, Komila Siddik, Boiling Springs HS.
Drawing
First: Insight, Dora Hill, Greer HS; Second: Ephemeral, Sofia Gomez, Greer HS; Third: Strong, Sylvir Dollar, East Henderson HS; Honorable Mention: 4664-Tomatoes, Pashion Oswalt, Boiling Springs HS.
Painting
First: Day is Done, Sarah Hoffman, Dorman HS; Second: Death’s Rose, Aleksandria Morozov, Landrum HS; Third: Everlasting Hope, Kaylie Jennings, Boiling Springs HS; Honorable Mention: Bubbly, Rhyan Osteen, Dorman HS.
Photography/ Digital Media
First: Color on the Run, Skylar Moad, Greer HS; Second: The Mirror, Brianna Jenkins, East Henderson HS; Third: The Journey Within, Samuel Silva Giraldo, Greer HS; Honorable Mention: Emerald Eye, Faith Brookshire, East Henderson HS.
Printmaking
First: The Hive, Abigail Burnett, Dorman HS; Second: M’m! M’m! Good!, Mackenzie Smith, Landrum HS; Third: Lost, Brianna LaRue, East Henderson HS; Honorable Mention: A Full Closet, Samantha Acker, Dorman HS.
Sculpture
First: Rainbow Frog, Mackenzie Macintosh, Dorman HS; Second: Calamari, Mari Towne, Polk County HS; Third: Beehive Beauty, Caroline Barry, Dorman HS; Honorable Mention: Precious Petals, Victoria Spelman, Dorman HS.
