Youth artistic creativity is in the spotlight this month. Thomas County Central High School art students participated in the Thomasville Center for the Arts Youth Arts Show Competition & Exhibition.
Several students placed or earned honorable mentions for their submissions (see box). All award recipients received a ribbon and a certificate; some were also given monetary awards.
“A maximum of 30 pieces per school and two per student were allowed,” TCCHS art teacher Shelby Young said. “We had 30 pieces submitted with 25 students total participating.”
Young wanted her students to participate because it was a chance for their work to be exhibited in a gallery space, it was a way to celebrate national Youth Art Month, and it was a scholarship opportunity for seniors.
“I'm proud of my students and their hard work that they put in, not just for this show but throughout the year,” Young said.
Senior Kate Weaver earned an overall first place award for her artwork, “Death.”
“It’s a representation of thanatophobia, the fear of death,” Weaver explains. “It’s a charcoal and colored pencil drawing.”
Freshman Harrison Waldrep earned third place for his piece, “Welcome to the Jungle”
“It was a scratch art of a coyote in South Georgia,” he said. “The name doesn’t seem to fit the artwork, but I pulled its inspiration from the Guns N' Roses music I listened to during the creation.”
Sheri Hall earned a Most Potential 12th Grade award for her piece, “B.B. Wolf.” She says the clay wolf puppet is based on the tale of “Little Red Riding Hood.”
Junior Sheila Escareno received an honorable mention for her “Fox and the Hound Totem.”
“I’m proud of my piece,” she said. “I put so much work into my piece that I wanted people to see it.”
Senior Caylin Dollar received an honorable mention for her submission, “Midnight.” She entered the competition to explore different art opportunities.
“It’s a watercolor city at dark,” Dollar describes. “I used concentrated watercolors and added salt in certain areas to create the ‘star’ effect in the sky.”
Senior Riley Singletary earned an honorable mention for “Alice in Wonderland.”
“It’s an Alice and Wonderland themed totem section,” Singletary said. “My favorite part of creating this piece is that you can tell what it is without it having to be explained.”
Junior Nykema Simmons’ piece “Hair Study” also earned an honorable mention. She describes the art as “an updo of a woman’s hair in grayscale using Prismacolor pencils.”
“I wanted to enter this competition to challenge myself against other students from different schools,” Simmons said.
National Youth Art Month is celebrated each March. Its goal is to highlight the importance of all children participating in art programs. The TCCHS students’ artwork will be on display with other honorees throughout the month at Thomasville Center for the Arts.
Junior Juan Lopez received an Award of Excellence for “Reductive Still Life,” a piece he defines as a reductive charcoal drawing of a theater mask, a gourd and a spoon.
“It gives me pride to know that the community can see my work,” he said. “Thank you to Thomasville Center for the Arts for the award and giving students the opportunity to present their work.”
Hall likes that her art will be displayed locally for her family and community to view.
“It’s exciting because I know people go to the Thomasville Center for the Arts,” she said. “It means that more people are able to see my work rather than keeping it all to myself.”
Escareno says having her art displayed at the center means a lot to her.
“I know my family is proud,” she said. “I hope that people in the community see my work and find inspiration to create a piece themselves.”
TCCHS Youth Arts Month Placers
1st Place Overall
Kate Weaver 12th ~ $100
3rd Place Overall
Harrison Waldrep 9th ~ $50
Award of Excellence
Juan Lopez 11th ~ $25
Most Potential 12th Grade
Sheri Hall
Most Potential 9th Grade
Morgan Deloach
Honorable Mention
Caylin Dollar 12th
Riley Singletary 12th
Nykema Simmons 11th
Sheila Escareno 11th