April 16, 2024
Portland Christian students Phuong Nguyen (12th grade) and Ava Lowe (11th grade) both received Oregon's Regional Scholastic Art Awards this year.
Ava Lowe (left) and Phuong Nguyen (right)
As Phuong described the process she went through painting the goldfish piece called “Diplopia”, and remembering the difficult process of manipulating the goldfish photograph with classmate Isobel, she smiled at the satisfaction of a finished product. For this first attempt at oil painting, she received a Gold Key!
Last year, Phuong received an Honorable Mention for a piece she submitted. Phuong began art as a sophomore in Portland Christian’s art class. Since then, she has had the experience of working with many mediums as art teacher Mrs. Evy McLean teaches her students to be “more diverse.” Says Phuong, “Mrs. McLean wants the best for us and she has pushed me out of my comfort zone to create.”
Eleventh grader Ava Lowe has enjoyed creating art since a young child. Her current favorite medium is painting specifically using acrylic. Ava won a Gold Key for the painting of her dog, an Australian Shepherd, “Chewie”.
For her portrait of a close family friend, “Stella,” she received an Honorable Mention.
She attributes Mrs. McLean for helping her “figure out the mechanics – how things work – like how to use brush strokes and see proportions more cohesively.”
Since 2014, PCS art students have been entering their artwork to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: Alliance for Young Artists and Writers (www.artandwriting.org). This alliance is “the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens”!
Gold key regional entry pieces are automatically considered for national awards and national medalists are rewarded with scholarships. A ceremony is then held in New York City celebrating the artists and their educators.
Because the deadline to enter artwork this year was in mid-December before winter break, other students did not have the opportunity to complete and submit their art projects. But there’s always next year!
Artwork of Regional Gold Key Award recipients Exhibition and Awards Ceremony will be virtual. Details will be announced soon.
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Written by Grace Dugger