Eight young artists have been selected as winners in the West Virginia Division of Culture and History’s annual Youth Art Month Exhibition, which is on display through April 18 in the wings off the Great Hall 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.
Each of the eight winners will receive a $50 gift certificate from Dick Blick Art Materials at an awards ceremony at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 14, 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 two Honorable Mention Awards.
All winners were chosen by Maribea Woodington Barnes of Marion, Ohio. She is an artist and assistant professor of art education in the department of art and design at Marshall University. Barnes also is a Ph.D. candidate in art education at Ohio State University (OSU), currently working on her dissertation: Contemporary Moroccan Art Forms. Previously she was a graduate teaching assistant at OSU, supervising student teachers during their clinical experiences and instructing upper-level undergraduate elementary education majors in art methods. She is the recipient of numerous grants to conduct research and attend arts education teacher workshops.
The Youth Art Month Exhibition consists of 62 pieces by 59 students, grades K - 12, from 16 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 Emily Ritchey, exhibits coordinator for the Division, at (304) 558-0220, ext. 128.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, 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. Its administrative offices are located at the Cultural Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
Print quality images of the winners can be downloaded at www.wvculture.org/museum/exhibits.html
Youth Art Month Exhibition
Cultural Center, State Capitol Complex, Charleston
Through April 18, 2008
Winners – Youth Art Month Exhibition
Jessica Capp, Grade 11, Wheeling Park High School, Ohio County
Katie Cunningham, Grade 3, Union Elementary School, Upshur County
Luke Austin Gossert, Grade 1, C. W. Shipley Elementary School, Jefferson County
Emily Kaiser, Grade 5, South Jefferson Elementary School, Jefferson County
Montana Morris, Grade 8, Tyler Consolidated Middle/High School, Tyler County
Jordan Patton, Grade 11, Parkersburg South High School, Wood County
Michelle Riffle, Grade 6, Ravenswood Middle School, Jackson County
Sara Ann Williams, Grade 11, North Marion High School, Marion County
Congressional Award Winners
Shawna Lathey, Grade 12, Wahama High School, Mason County (District 2)
Emmalyn Rucker, Grade 12, Tyler Consolidated High School, Tyler County (District 1)
Adrienne Stover, Grade 12, Woodrow Wilson High School, Raleigh County (District 3)
Arts and Technology Award
Christine Keplinger, Grade 10, Tyler Consolidated High School, Tyler County
Watercolor Award
Jaala Smith, Grade 11, Ravenswood High School, Jackson County
Honorable Mention Awards
Vanessa Giselle Corante, Grade 11, Lincoln High School, Harrison County
Tyler Ann Jones, Grade 9, Wirt County High School, Wirt County
Youth Art Month Participants
Boone County
Tiffany Baldwin, Madison Middle School, Grade 7
Makenzie Miller, Madison Elementary School, Grade K
Rebecca Runion, Scott High School, Grade 11
Dennis Treadway, Sherman Elementary School, Grade 4
Harrison County
Vanessa Giselle Corante, Lincoln High School, Grade 11
Justin Elder, Liberty High School, Grade 12
Casey Maxwell, Liberty High School, Grade 12
Kanawha County
Tyler Abbott, Richmond Elementary School, Grade 4
Valerie Erb, Sissonville High School, Grade 10
Kayla Jones, Sissonville High School, Grade 12
Adam Reed, Hayes Middle School, Grade 10
Jackson County
Natasha Bennett, Ripley High School, Grade 11
Howard Overmeyer III, Ripley Elementary School, Grade 1
Michelle Riffle, Ravenswood Middle School, Grade 6
Jaala Smith, Ravenswood High School, Grade 11
Jefferson County
Calli Farris, JHS 9th Grade Complex, Grade 9
Luke Austin Gossert, C.W. Shipley Elementary School, Grade 1
Emily Kaiser, South Jefferson Elementary School, Grade 5
Tyler Steffy, Shepherdstown Middle School, Grade 6
Marion County
Leah Ellyson, North Marion High School, Grade 10
Vinny Sheeler, North Marion High School, Grade 12
Sara Ann Williams, North Marion High School, Grade 11
Mason County
Ryan Dickie, Wahama High School, Grade 12
Amanda King, Point Pleasant Middle School, Grade 8
Shawna Lathey, Wahama High School, Grade 12
Savannah Marr, Wahama High School, Grade 12
Nicholas County
Corey Gero, Summersville Middle School, Grade 8
Chris Smith, Richwood High School, Grade 10
Daniel A. Smith, Richwood Middle School, Grade 8
Ohio County
Vondel Bell, Triadelphia Middle School, Grade 8
Jessica Capp, Wheeling Park High School, Grade 11
Jacob Carpenter, Triadelphia Middle School, Grade 8
Elizabeth Hannah, Triadelphia Middle School, Grade 8
Raleigh County
Nick Blackburn, Woodrow Wilson High School, Grade 12
Sharee Moore, Park Middle School, Grade 8
Adrienne Stover, Woodrow Wilson High School, Grade 12
Tucker County
Emily Jones, Tucker County High School, Grade 11
Brittiny Snyder, Davis-Thomas Elementary/Middle School, Grade 8
Tereaza Stull, Tucker Valley Elementary/Middle School, Grade 6
Karsyn White, Tucker Valley Elementary/Middle School, Grade 3
Tyler County
Christine Keplinger, Tyler Consolidated High School, Grade 10
Alaina McCoy, Tyler Consolidated Middle School, Grade 8
Montana Morris, Tyler Consolidated Middle School, Grade 8
Emmalyn Rucker, Tyler Consolidated High School, Grade 12
Upshur County
Levi Bender, Buckhannon-Upshur High School, Grade 12
Katie Cunningham, Union Elementary School, Grade 3
Brittany Marple, Buckhannon-Upshur High School, Grade 11
Christine Wang, Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School, Grade 8
Wirt County
Matthew Bunner, Wirt County High School, Grade 12
Tyler Ann Jones, Wirt County High School, Grade 9
Samantha Kelley, Wirt County High School, Grade 11
Wood County
Tyler Henry, Parkersburg South High School, Grade 12
Jordan Patton, Parkersburg South High School, Grade 11
Logan Smith, Parkersburg South High School, Grade 10
Corrissa Williams, Parkersburg South High School, Grade 10
Wyoming County
James “JD” Blankenship, Westside High School, Grade 9
Kaitlyn Bryant, Westside High School, Grade 12
Corey Ethan Francis, Glen Fork Elementary School, Grade 3
Alyssa Thompson, Westside High School, Grade 12
- 30 -
