The chance to promote awareness of some of nature’s furry creatures in need of good homes was catnip to some Thomas County Central High School young artists.

Three art students placed in the high school division of the Miss Kitty Feline Sanctuary Poster Contest: Sophie Anderson and Hakeem Stevens tied for first (along with a student from Thomasville City Schools), and Camille Sowell placed second.

“We were awe-inspired by the creativity and emotion we could see in the work,” Carol Jones, chairman of the Miss Kitty Board of Directors, said of contest entries. “We were thrilled with the response and thought the submissions were very creative and thoughtful.”

Jones said the winning entries stood out for their “composition, color, and capturing the essence of a cat.”

TCCHS Art teacher Jocelyn Rivard is “very excited” for the students selected as winners and applauds the individuality of their submissions.

“All of these posters were so different in media – watercolor, marker, and collage/tempera – and how they were drawn or painted,” she said.

Senior Hakeem Stevens entered because he thought the contest would be fun and “a great way to contribute art to my community.”

“I’m excited and surprised I won first place with so many great entries,” he said.

Stevens drew a kitten in a white room with multi-colored paint paw prints and the sanctuary’s logo in the background. He tried to show “the cute and playfulness of the kittens at the adoption center.”

“I've always had a thing for kittens though I've never had one of my own,” Stevens said. “I found this as a way of helping the cats and kittens at the center.”

Senior Sophie Anderson painted a portrait of a girl cuddling a kitten “to inspire parents to adopt animals for their children.” She entered the contest to help raise awareness about Miss Kitty and inspire others to adopt.

“I think that all kids should grow up with pets:  they are our best friends when we are young,” Anderson said. “I also think that it's very important to give these cats a loving home.” 

Her piece has been selected as the art for this year’s Miss Kitty’s Christmas card.

Senior Camille Sowell used tempera paint and collage on her piece, which depicts three kittens gazing at "Cat Adoption" calligraphy, “showing that they're just as eager for adoption as you,” she said.

“I saw this contest as an excellent opportunity to engage in a community-wide event because adoption is an act that is very dear to my values,” Sowell said. “To take in a needy animal is truly a gracious act for both the adopter and the adoptee.”

Reasons the contest was held include promotion and awareness.

“We wanted to promote Miss Kitty and get the kids to think about how important it is to adopt from sanctuaries, shelters, and humane societies,” Jones said.

Rivard said this contest is different from many other exhibitions and shows her students have participated in because students were provided a theme and guidelines.

“The enjoyment for students was not only in drawing or painting a cat(s) but of choosing their own art media,” she said. “In addition, the page size format allowed more students to complete the work in a quick turnaround time.”

Participation was by individual choice.

“It is very rewarding for students to participate in art competitions that showcase their creativity for our local businesses,” Rivard said. “As a real-world experience, I think that students feel connected and the experience builds community relationships.”

Students who did not place still got something positive from the experience and support Miss Kitty’s mission.

Junior Aaliyah Fuller, 16, said the contest reminded her of her pet cat, who was a stray. Her poster depicted two cats together “to show how loveable cats can be.” 

“I hope more people go out and give these animals homes,” she said.

Senior Charnice Darden, 17, entered because she thought it would be fun.  She drew characteristics of kittens to show their playfulness, as well as yarn and cat food.

“I added a lot of designs to make it colorful and bright,” she said.

Senior Tayler Deas, 17, wanted to show her support for animal rescue/adoption agencies.

“It is important to me to influence others to care for mistreated/abandoned animals,” she said.

Her entry showed two kittens interacting with a goldfish bowl as they wait for a family. She also “tied in some irony with a goldfish who says ‘Cat Adoption!’" to encourage such adoptions.

“I hoped to attract people to be drawn in by the adorable kittens in need of a home,” Deas said.

Winners were recognized at the ribbon cutting for the revamped facility, which was held Oct. 22. Jones visited TCCHS on Oct.29 to hand out awards. Anderson and Stevens each received a $20 gift card from Grassroots Coffee and Sowell received a special storage container in a floral design.

   

Poster submissions (l-r): Sophie Anderson, Hakeem Stevens, Camille Sowell