Miranda Dyson, Children’s Education Associate
For the 23rd year in a row, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art served as a Regional Affiliate for the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. This national program is over 100 years old, and provides a space for thousands of creative teens to enter their original work into a juried show. Art institutions across the U.S., like FWMoA, hold ceremonies and display works at the regional level before select pieces are moved forward for national judging.
Acknowledgement on a regional level includes 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards in the form of Gold Keys, Silver Keys, and Honorable Mentions. Five of the Gold Keys are nominated for an American Visions award (best in art), and five are nominated for an American Voices award (best in writing). All works awarded Gold Keys are considered for judging at the national level.
At the regional level, special awards and scholarships were awarded to the students listed below.
American Visions Nominees:
Cooper Baird
Brooklynn Deane
Cadence Reagan
Kora Rockwell
Jocelyn Roth
American Voices Nominees:
Sreeja Bhattacharjee
Lailah Byrd
Jai Gaba
Caliel Mosley
Tulsi Patel
Purchase Award Winners:
Cooper Baird
Elliana Heintz
Art League Scholarship Winners:
Yara Al-Hisah
Cooper Baird
Olivia Bronzan
Cadence Reagan
Amarante Workman
During an evening event at FWMoA, six of our Gold Key winning teens led tours through the Scholastics exhibit. Surrounded by hundreds of works, these teens brought attention to their awarded pieces and discussed vision and techniques. It was a special time for visitors, who were able to voice questions and gain insight. This was a great opportunity for our teens to practice speaking in public about their art—a skill many professional artists depend on—and for most, this was a first-time experience. Each of the six who spoke had several pieces awarded, and pointed to similarities across a series, or common themes found in their work.
When asked about her experience, National Gold Medal winner, Brooklynn Deane, said:
“One piece I spoke about was Together In Solitude, the artwork with me and my stuffed animals on a Zoom call together. All of my pieces this year featured in the Scholastic art gallery were a part of my AP art portfolio. The theme for them all/my question of inquiry was, “How can I with my art show how apathetic my generation is with technology replacing aspects of the human experience?” I was most excited to share my concerns for the negative effects that have come with the rapid advancement of technology. I wouldn’t say I was seeking to warn people or spread awareness–a lot of what I have addressed in my pieces are things people are well aware of. My true goal was to create art that depicted these issues in a way people could relate to.
I don’t think I would have elaborated more on the pieces I got to speak on, but I wish I had the chance to talk about my piece The Funhouse Mirror–a piece addressing the body dysmorphia that can be felt after comparing yourself to others online. As a rising senior I will be taking AP art for my 3rd year in a row. Next year I hope to address the long-lasting effects of whitewashing and Americanization, an issue I believe has been concerningly prominent in our nation for centuries.”
This year, from 31 counties across Northern Indiana and Northwest Ohio, FWMoA’s region received 35 national awards!
Best in Grade Award:
Tia Jackson
American Visions Medal:
Cooper Baird
American Voices Medal:
Tulsi Patel
National Gold Medalists:
Dorothy Ewurama Adjei
Cooper Baird
Reis Bellar*
Briley Certain
Brooklynn Deane
Tia Jackson
Doyoung Kim
Thu Le
Braeden Melo Rolland
Natalie Miller
Estelle Pasko
Tulsi Patel
Lainey Wouster
National Silver Medalists:
Yarah Al-Hisah
Armando Arizmendi
Sreeja Bhattacharjee*
Olivia Bronzan
Brooklynn Deane
Olivia Fox
Jai Gaba
Tallulah Gibson
Ashley Hong
Emmett Hull
Addison Krouse
Jackson Mercer
Maeve Ohlinger
Milo Sundell
Corinne Vance
Shyla Watson
Dryden White
Jilian Wright
National Honorable Mention:
Joylynn Chung
*Received multiple awards in this category
We are so proud of the efforts that come out of our region each year! These teens continue to inspire artists at all levels of experience. We look forward to seeing the continued dedication and creativity of students in our community. For more information on student-centered programming, check out the School Programs page on the FWMoA website!