Woodlawn Arts Academy hosted the opening for the 14th annual Student-Teacher Art Exhibit on Friday, February 24th. Hundreds were in attendance to view more than 120 submissions from surrounding schools. Woodlawn Arts Academy is proud to exhibit artwork from talented students and staff from all over the Sauk Valley area and is pleased to announce the winners of the 2023 Student-Teacher Art Exhibit.
In the Infinite Library, an oil pastel and acrylic piece by Ezmeralda Vega, senior at Rock Falls High School, was the first-place winner in the grades 9-12 category. First place in the grades 5-8 category went to Summer Swimming, a tempera paint piece by Ella Kelly, sixth grader at Morrison Junior High. Bryce Dieterle, a fourth grader at St. Anne School, Dixon, won first place in the K-4 category with his mixed media piece called Winter Holiday Value Lights.
Voting took place in person at the exhibit opening, and then on the Academy’s Facebook page for the first two weeks of the exhibit, with the public “liking” or “loving” the images of their choice. More than 8,100 votes were cast.
Rounding out the top 12 were:
- The Many Spirits of MHS, acrylic paint, Landri Harmon, senior, Morrison High School, second place, grades 9-12;
- Untitled, graphite, Caylee Lyons, eighth grade, Challand Middle School, Sterling, second place, grades 5-8;
- El Roi – God Sees Me, pastel, Andre Walker, first grade, Sauk Valley Christian Academy, Sterling, second place, grades K-4;
- Untitled, acrylic, Roman Vega, junior, Rock Falls High School, third place, grades 9-12;
- Mr. Goofy, tempera paint and wallpaper, Evan White, eighth grade, Morrison Junior High, third place, grades 5-8;
- Frida Fruit, oil pastel, Maxwell Gendreau, fourth grade, West Carroll Primary, Savanna, third place, grades K-4;
- Kanye, cassette tape, Camryn Veltrop, sophomore, Morrison High School, honorable mention, grades 9-12;
- Bloom, glass and acrylics, Anna Eggemeyer, eighth grade, Morrison Junior High, honorable mention, grades 5-8; and
- Cold Sky, Warm Ground, chalk pastel and oil pastel, Arianah Poff, third grade, Southside Elementary, Morrison, honorable mention, grades K-4.
This fall, winning pieces will be featured on banners along the First Avenue Bridge between Sterling and Rock Falls through a partnership between the Academy and Sterling Main Street. The exhibit will be on display during regular business hours through April 27th.
Woodlawn Arts Academy is an agency of United Way of Whiteside and Lee counties, and financial assistance is available to those who qualify. Details on the Academy’s programming and financial assistance applications are available in the Academy office or on the website at www.woodlawnartsacademy.com. The Academy’s programs are partially funded by grants from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and The Chicago Community Foundation.
