Woodlawn Arts Academy hosted the opening for the 15th annual Student-Teacher Art Exhibit on Friday, February 23rd. More than 300 community members 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 2024 Student-Teacher Art Exhibit.
Sweet Reflection, a Prismacolor colored pencil piece by Zayley B., freshman at Morrison High School, was the first-place winner in the grades 9-12 category. First place in the grades 5-8 category went to Shakira the Giraffe, an oil pastel piece by Cierra W., seventh grader at Morrison Junior High. Jovie F., a first grader at Franklin Elementary, Sterling, won first place in the K-4 category with her mixed media piece called Under the Sea.
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 7,300 votes were cast in person and on Facebook.
Rounding out the top 12 were:
- All Eyes on Me, cassette tape, Landon C., junior, Morrison High School, second place, grades 9-12;
- Glimmering Greens, multimedia, Leah S., eighth grade, Morrison Junior High, second place, grades 5-8;
- Sunflower, tempera paint and oil pastel, Jacqueline C., first grade, Jefferson Elementary, Sterling, second place, grades K-4;
- Aviators, ink pen, Anna B., sophomore, Morrison High School, third place, grades 9-12;
- Gerald, The Grumpy Neighbor, oil pastel, Kay-Leigh M., seventh grade, Morrison Junior High, third place, grades 5-8;
- Mighty Meat Mountain, Collage, Nora L., fourth grade, Washington Elementary, Sterling, third place, grades K-4;
- Crimson Heart, painted ceramic, Ava P., junior, Sterling High School, honorable mention, grades 9-12;
- Dream House, colored pencil, Aria R., fifth grade, Washington Elementary, Sterling, honorable mention, grades 5-8; and
- Wild Thing, colored pencil, Payton M., third grade, West Carroll Primary, Savanna, honorable mention, grades K-4
Beginning in early 2025, winning pieces will be featured on banners along the First Avenue Bridge between Sterling and Rock Falls through a partnership between the Academy, the city of Sterling and Sterling Main Street. In addition to the winning pieces listed above, Woodlawn Arts Academy staff chose six additional submissions to be featured on banners:
- Moth, watercolor and ink, Nivea N., ninth grade, Ashton-Franklin Center High School, Ashton;
- Star Sky Beach, tempera paint, Starlyn E., fifth grade, West Carroll Primary, Savanna;
- Digital Portrait, Digital Painting, Salena M., seventh grade, Challand Middle School, Sterling;
- “The end of the beginning …,” Mixed Media, Zy M.W., senior, Rock Falls High School;
- Me on a Summer Day, Mixed Media, Elianna W., kindergarten, Dillon Elementary, Rock Falls; and
- Distortion, Watercolor, Josey H., senior, Sterling High School.
The art exhibit will be on display during regular business hours through April 26th, and is free and open to the public. 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.
