The North Georgia Fair Youth Arts Show in Marietta was a smorgasbord for the creative mind. Numerous talented TCCHS art students participated and 55 awards were earned in a variety of categories (see box).
Art teacher Jocelyn Rivard feels the school – with its 75 entries in a variety of categories – “had a very good showing” at the event.
“I enjoy entering works for student artists as it is a boost for their confidence and motivation, especially when they earn accolades at public forums such as the North Georgia Fair,” she said. “It is very rewarding as a teacher to watch students learn to use new art media and methods, such as overlaying tissue paper, blending watercolor pencils, and carving clay.”
Brooke Hagan won Best of Show for her pencil creation, “Man in Flannel.” The piece also won first place in its category.
“It was made by combining and weaving two different pictures together, then using shading pencils to bring various shades of light and dark into the drawing,” she explained. “I feel like winning Best of Show helped show me that sometimes putting the most effort into something you love can turn into a great thing in the end.”
Hagan also won first in charcoal and third in both mixed media and tempera categories. She said winning was “a complete surprise.”
“I wasn’t expecting to get anything,” Hagan said. “I was just happy to be a part of the experience because art is important to me, and sharing that art makes it feel worthwhile.”
The young artist said art allows her to express different creative thoughts and ideas. She hopes fair participants see her creations and “feel and interpret their own feelings into the art.”
Macie Wheeler received three first place and two second place awards. She placed first in clay sculpture, ceramics (molded), and recycle art; she placed second in mixed media and watercolor.
“I am very pleased that I won these awards,” Wheeler said. “There is always a chance of winning, but winning over other great artists says something. Winning these awards will allow me to put them in a portfolio for colleges to see, which could potentially get me into an art program.”
Wheeler describes the process to create one of her winning pieces, the recycle art “Collage of Flowers.”
“I used recycled magazines as the medium,” she said. “Then, (I) cut/tore them into small pieces to match the picture that I chose.”
Wheeler enjoys creating art because she “can escape from reality for a while.” It also allows her to push her imagination “to create something different from everyone else.”
Kiana Roman earned three first place, one second place, and one third place awards during the fair. Her winning categories were tissue paper, oil pastel, sculpture, ceramics, and prints.
For her first place tissue paper piece, “Green Face Girl,” she created a collage of different colors and shades of the paper, held together with diluted glue.
“When I created the tissue paper girl, I was not expecting to win any awards,” Roman said. “This project was a challenge for me, but I am very thankful and proud of this award.”
Roman said creating art is “a very healthy and relaxing therapeutic technique.” She is proud to have her artwork on display and hopes her pieces will inspire and motivate others, just as her fair wins have inspired her to continue with future pieces, even if she doesn’t like how the piece begins.
Juan Lopez won first, second and two third place awards during the event. Lopez thought he might earn an award or two but expressed surprise at winning so many.
“I feel it gives me more confidence in my artwork and I will try to win more awards,” he said of his fair accomplishments.
Lopez’s first place award was in pen/ink for “Water Wheel,” an ink landscape.
“I enjoyed creating the water wheel very much,” Lopez said. “I used a brush to paint out the building, wheel and trees. Then, I used a sharpie to create the sky and clouds. Finally, I used different washes for the water and other small details.”
His second place was in crayon etch, a piece called “Pelican”; his two third place pieces were “Green Woven Box” in recycle art and “Dog on Bricks” in drawing.
“I take pride in the work that was entered and I hope the fair participants enjoyed seeing my work,” he said.
North Georgia Fair Youth Art Show Winners
6th – 12th Grade Division – Best of Show – $15 – Brooke Hagan
FINE ARTS DIVISION 9th – 12th Grade
First Place
Charcoal – Brooke Hagan
Colored Pencil – Maria Davis
Crayon – Breanna Watson
Pen/Ink – Juan Lopez
Pencil – Brooke Hagan
Tempera – Caylin Dollar
Watercolor – Sam Starling
Mixed Media – Sam Starling
Oil Pastel – Kiana Roman
Second Place
Acrylic – Savannah Barrett
Charcoal – Sam Starling
Colored Pencil – Sheridan Hall
Crayon – Juan Lopez
Pen/Ink – Beisy Lopez
Pencil – Starla Fortier
Tempera – Maria Davis
Watercolor – Loren Osgatharp
Mixed Media – Macie Wheeler
Oil Pastel – Loren Osgatharp
Third Place
Crayon – Nykema Simmons
Pen/Ink – Maria Davis
Tempera – Brooke Hagan
Watercolor – Macie Wheeler
Mixed Media – Brooke Hagan
Oil Pastel – Sheridan Hall
CRAFTS DIVISION, 9th – 12th Grade
First Place
Clay Sculpture – Sheila Escareno
Clay Sculpture – Macie Wheeler
Ceramics (Molded) – Macie Wheeler
Collage – Nasya Sanford
Collage – Kiana Roman
Papier-mâché – Nasya Sanford
Papier-mâché – Emily Hiers
Printmaking – Riley Singeltary
Watercolor – Beisy Lopez
Sculpture – Kiana Roman
Recycle Art – Macie Wheeler
Second Place
Clay Sculpture – Nykema Simmons
Ceramics (Molded) – Kiana Roman
Collage – Emily Hiers
Papier-mâché – Jada Moore
Printmaking – Loren Osgatharp
Original Art – Chris Harry
Sculpture – Jennifer Ramos
Recycle Art – Chris Harry
Recycle Art – Nykema Simmons
Third Place
Clay Sculpture – Shelby Raybon
Collage – Kelcie Allen
Papier-mâché – Faithlyn Bowers
Recycle Art – Tamara Williams
Printmaking – Kiana Roman
Drawing – Juan Lopez
Watercolor – Evan Whitaker
Sculpture– Wyatt Vinson
Recycle Art – Juan Lopez