Eight young artists have been selected as winners in the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History’s annual Youth Art Month Exhibition, which is on display through April 24 in the Balcony Gallery of the Cultural Center, State Capitol Complex in Charleston. The program is produced in cooperation with the West Virginia Art Education Association and the West Virginia Department of Education, in celebration of National Youth Art Month.
The winners’ work will be placed in the permanent collection of the West Virginia State Museum. Each of the eight winners will receive a $50 gift certificate from Dick Blick Art Materials at an awards ceremony at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, March 17, in the Great Hall of the Cultural Center.
Another three works in the exhibition have been selected to represent West Virginia in the annual Congressional Art Competition for high school students. The Congressional Competition is sponsored by members of the United States Congress and culminates in a summer exhibition at the United States Capitol building.
An additional two $100 awards will be given for Arts and Technology and Watercolor. The juror also picked a Judge’s Special Recognition piece and two Honorable Mention Awards.
All winners were chosen by Charleston artist Bruce Haley. An accountant by education, Haley always has searched for a way to express his creative instincts. In 1998 while exploring the internet he discovered the website of Maureen Delahanty, a New York photographer and published writer. He contacted her to express his admiration for her work and she suggested he take up photography to fill his artistic bent. In 1999, Haley bought his first camera and has been taking pictures ever since. The noted nature photographer, Jim Clark, also influenced him and became his mentor after Haley took a workshop from him.
Haley began exhibiting his work in November 2002 and has participated in more than 65 exhibits in West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and Colorado. He has received numerous awards including the Director’s Choice Award at the 2005 International Abstracts Show at the Center for Fine Art Photography in Ft. Collins, Colo.; first place in the professional photographer’s division of the French Art Colony’s 36th Annual Festival Exhibit, in Gallipolis, Ohio; and an Award of Excellence at the Allied Artists 64th Juried Exhibition in Parkersburg among others. Haley currently has an exhibit of 12 PhoDigital paintings on exhibit at the Cultural Center in the Lobby Gallery.
The Youth Art Month Exhibition consists of 68 pieces by 67 students, grades two-12, from 17 West Virginia counties. Artworks in the annual exhibition were selected from a statewide competition.
A list of the winners is enclosed along with a complete list of students whose work is included in the exhibition.
Youth Art Month was established to underscore the importance of including arts experiences in all students’ education. For more information about the Youth Art Month Exhibition, contact Stephanie Lilly, exhibits coordinator for the Division, at (304) 558-0240, ext. 128.
The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. Visit the Division’s website at www.wvculture.org for more information about programs of the Division. The Department of Arts, Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
Youth Art Month Exhibition
Cultural Center, State Capitol Complex, Charleston
Through April 24, 2006
Winners - Youth Art Month Exhibition
Amy Fields, Grade 12, Wahama High School, Mason County
Ashley Haycraft, Grade 6, Elkview Middle School, Kanawha County
Kelsey Hayden, Grade 2, Page Jackson Elementary School, Jefferson County
Dylan Janeczko, Grade 6, Bridge Street Middle School, Ohio County
Run Lin, Grade 10, Wheeling Park High School, Ohio County
Brianna Shingleton, Grade 7, Pleasants County Middle School, Pleasants County
Dakota Williams, Grade 5, Alban Elementary School, Kanawha County
Katy Yeager, Grade 8, Pleasants County Middle School, Pleasants County
Congressional Award Winners
Whitney Dudding, Grade 12, Wahama High School, Mason County
Samuel Farra, Grade 12, Parkersburg South High School, Wood County
Brady Fields, Grade 12, Mingo Career and Tech Center, Mingo County
Arts and Technology Award
Michael Barry, Grade 12, Mingo Career and Tech Center, Mingo County
Watercolor Award
Brianna Shingleton, Grade 7, Pleasants County Middle School, Pleasants County
Judge’s Special Recognition Award
Kelsey Hayden, Grade 2, Page Jackson Elementary School, Jefferson County
Honorable Mention Awards
Leah Amick, Grade 12, Greenbrier West High School, Greenbrier County
Jesse Lenz, Grade 12, Tyler Consolidated High School, Tyler County
Youth Art Month Participants
Clay County
Ashleigh Bird, Grade 12, Clay County High School
Samantha Cummings, Grade 12, Clay County High School
Angela Nichols, Grade 11, Clay County High School
Jillian Pizza, Grade 12, Clay County High School
Greenbrier County
Leah Amick, Grade 12, Greenbrier West High School
Jared Belli, Grade 12, Greenbrier West High School
Craig Payne, Grade 12, Greenbrier West High School
Caleb Stanley, Grade 11, Greenbrier West High School
Jackson County
Misty Barker, Grade 6, Ravenswood Middle School
Bryant Gorrell, Grade 11, Ravenswood High School
Erin McKown, Grade 7, Ravenswood Middle School
Cody Southall, Grade 3, Gilmore Elementary School
Jefferson County
Jessica Babcock, Grade 4, North Jefferson Elementary School
Caitlin Beans, Grade 12, Jefferson High School
Leigh Cassell, Grade 12, Jefferson High School
Kelsey Hayden, Grade 2, Page Jackson Elementary School
Kanawha County
Mathew Bradley, Grade 3, Anne Bailey Elementary School
Sara Hawkins, Grade 12, Herbert Hoover High School
Ashley Haycraft, Grade 6, Elkview Middle School
Dakota Williams, Grade 5, Alban Elementary School
Marion County
Laura Bonasso, Grade 11, North Marion High School
Kathleen Ebert, Grade 11, East Fairmont High School
Kayla Field, Grade 11, East Fairmont High School
Kylie Rexroad, Grade 10, North Marion High School
Mason County
Kelsi Boyd, Grade 12, Wahama High School
Whitney Dudding, Grade 12, Wahama High School
Amy Fields, Grade 12, Wahama High School
Cory Parsons, Grade 12, Wahama High School
Mingo County
Michael Barry, Grade 12, Mingo Career and Tech Center
Brady Fields, Grade 12, Mingo Career and Tech Center
Sean Robinette, Grade 12, Mingo Career and Tech Center
Staphaine Staley, Grade 12, Mingo Career and Tech Center
Nicholas County
Denzil Brooks, Grade 8, Richwood Junior High School
Jeanna Groves, Grade 11, Richwood High School
Megan Russell, Grade 12, Richwood High School
Chantal Sanson, Grade 9, Summersville Junior High School
Jillian Smallwood, Grade 7, Nicholas County High School
Ohio County
Taylor Bray, Grade 10, Wheeling Park High School
Blas Gabbert, Grade 8, Triadelphia Middle School
Dylan Janeczko, Grade 6, Bridge Street Middle School
Run Lin, Grade 10, Wheeling Park High School
Pleasants County
Brianna Shingleton, Grade 7, Pleasants County Middle School
Emily Wilson, Grade 8, Pleasants County Middle School
Lillie Winland, Grade 7, Pleasants County Middle School
Katy Yeager, Grade 8, Pleasants County Middle School
Raleigh County
Joshua Carpenter, Grade 12, Woodrow Wilson High School
Kimberly Cook, Grade 12, Woodrow Wilson High School
Victoria Lively, Grade 11, Woodrow Wilson High School
Blaine McKinny, Grade 11, Woodrow Wilson High School
Tyler County
Brianna Clark, Grade 12, Tyler Consolidated High School
Jesse Lenz, Grade 12, Tyler Consolidated High School
Emmalyn Rucker, Grade 10, Tyler Consolidated High School
Upshur County
Ceara Bender, Grade 8, Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School
Jonathan Dean, Grade 11, Buckhannon-Upshur High School
Gillian Ross, Grade 3, Washington District Elementary School
Jennifer Sands, Grade 12, Buckhannon-Upshur High School
Wirt County
Matthew Bunner, Grade 10, Wirt County High School
Richard Giribble, Grade 11, Wirt County High School
Amber Murphy, Grade 11, Wirt County High School
Athia Rockhold, Grade 12, Wirt County High School
Wood County
Lauren Draber, Grade 9, Jackson Junior High School
Samuel Farra, Grade 12, Parkersburg South High School
Meghann Kelly, Grade 12, Parkersburg South High School
Erika Tharp, Grade 12, Parkersburg South High School
Wyoming County
Ashley Bowles, Grade 12, Westside High School
(two pieces of art in show)
Jacob Callaway, Grade 7, Huff Consolidated
Kyle Smith, Grade 7, Huff Consolidated
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