Great showing for SHS artists at Wyoming Art Symposium

Hard work pays off and SHS art students are yet again a fine example of this. The annual Wyoming Art Symposium was held April 25-27 in Casper. Over 4200 pieces were displayed along with 75 schools and over 1000 students in participation. Only one quarter of all artwork gets awarded. 

Janessa Wilen walked away with a first as well a Congressional/3-D Artistic Discovery Award for her warm glass piece titled “Late Autumn”. Janessa had well over 30 hours in to this project alone.

The Congressional Award is the most elite of the awards given out at State art and only 25 of the 3-D pieces are given this honor. This year Congressional Awards will not be displayed at the capitol. However, they can be viewed in person at the SHS commons, and are also available to view online.

Aftyn Marchant was awarded Wyoming’s First Lady Award for her piece titled “Fiery Mountain Range”. Our First Lady, Jennie Gordon, was present to select art to be displayed at the governor’s mansion. Aftyn, as well as these award recipients, will be invited to Cheyenne for a reception with Mrs. Gordon to honor their efforts. 

Seven other first places were earned by our students:

• Brook Holfland – warm glass “Melted Ring Pop with a Hint of Leaves”

• Aaron Kanode – warm glass “Four Petal Flower Bowl”

• Cana McInerney – warm glass mirror “Asteroid Belt”

• Joshua Pridgeon – acrylic “Buffy”

• Joshua Pridgeon – graphite “My Marbles”

• Tairyn Richards – warm glass “Bear with Me”

• Janessa Wilen – graphite “Poco”

Two groups shone in the competition components:

Team BABB’s (Baillee Heaster, Aftyn Marchant, Brook Hofland and Bailey Hofland) placed 3rd in Mural Mania

Team SUNDANCE (Josh Pridgeon, Marcus Meisner, Janessa Wilen and Teagan Marchant) placed 2nd for their sculpture titled, “Money Road”.