In January, many Revere High School (RHS) students competed in Scholastics Art and Writing, a regional art competition. In total, the students won two portfolio gold keys, seven gold keys, thirteen silver keys and thirty-eight honorable mentions.
The gold key is the highest award a student can win on a regional level, followed by a silver key, an honorable mention or no award. Even earning an honorable mention means that that artwork is within the best 10-15 percent of art in the Northeast Ohio Region.
All gold key recipients will automatically advance to a national competition in New York City and students will have the chance to win scholarships through their art.
Dannie Wissmar
Senior Dannie Wissmar won a portfolio gold key, an individual gold key, an individual silver key and three honorable mentions.
Wissmar focused on photos of her family and friends as references for her artworks.
“They’re all portraits of family and friends done with either black matte board or colored construction paper and colored pencils. Essentially they are all colored pencil renderings submitted into the drawing/illustration category,” Wissmar said.
Wissmar explained that her love of art started at a young age. Her family has always supported this love, specifically her dad who went to school for art.
“I would say middle school art classes are where it really started. I enjoyed going to the Revere Celebration of the Arts at the high school every year and looking at all the art the students had created,” Wissmar explained.
Wissmar described that her inspiration for her winning pieces comes from her family, especially her brother who also took AP art at RHS. Wissmar’s family is her biggest supporter and she is grateful for all their support through multiple art competitions.
“My older brother, Andrew Wissmar, went through the art program here all the way up to AP drawing. I saw all of the pieces he got to create and that made me want to create works that I was proud of. My family has always been my biggest support system during my journey through high school. I have been fortunate enough to have them with me at all of the art shows and ceremonies I have been a part of throughout the years,” Wissmar said.
Wissmar explained that winners of the Scholastic Art and Writing competition are the top 10-12 percent of artists in the region.
“Last year, I submitted a couple of my works and received one honorable mention. I thought that was my limit and that I would receive one, maybe two honorable mentions for my works which I would be very proud of, but I was on my way to my AP 2D class and Mr. Pierson approached me in the hallway and told me that my portfolio had won a gold key at Scholastics,” Wissmar said.
Wissmar’s gold key portfolio advanced to the national competition and professional artists will judge her gold key winning works in New York City.
Kennedy Stanley
Senior Kennedy Stanley won two gold keys, two silver keys and two honorable mentions.
Due to technical difficulties with the Scholastics website, Stanley is unsure which of her works won honorable mentions. She is aware of what won gold and silver keys.
“I had two monotypes win, one got a gold and the other got a silver. My colored pencil rendering got a gold, and a digital art work that I entered got a silver,” Stanley said.
Stanley explained that their inspiration for pieces revolve around their imagination. They enjoy editing images and then using those as a reference for their art.
“I like taking photos of myself and making them slightly creepy or creative, distorting them to fit my imagination. Though two of the works I entered in scholastics were from last year (the monotypes) and my sustained investigation that year was fantasy. Still a similar theme, I like to use art as a way to get away from reality, and my art sometimes reflects that,” Stanley said.
Stanley’s gold keys advanced to the next round of judging will be on display in New York City.
Julia Grandon
Senior Julia grandon won a gold portfolio, two silver keys and four honorable mentions.
Grandon explained that her work was focused on capturing moments of her family and friends. To fit the requirements of a portfolio Grandon also had to alter her pieces to create a theme throughout her works.
“They are all colored pencil renderings of people I care about, additionally they all are scribble renderings. Three of them were traditional renderings I altered to be scribbles so that there would be a commonality amongst them,” Grandon said.
Grandon described that she initially got involved with art through her older brother who also took classes with Pierson.
“My brother was a very talented artist who was taught by Mr. Pierson. He inspired me to want to get better, so I took the right classes and ended up where I am today. I love art now and it’s one of my favorite pastimes. My favorite art classes are probably the two AP courses due to the fact that I have the availability to create almost whatever I want while still learning new things,” Grandon explained.
Grandon explained that this year she did not expect to win gold and silver keys due to her entries last year getting honorable mentions.
“Last year I submitted pieces and received honorable mentions, which is still really cool, and this year I thought I might get silver at best. I never dreamed my whole portfolio would be going on to National judging,” Grandon said.
Again, since the Scholastics website was experiencing technical difficulties, Gradon and her mother tried to figure out which one of her artworks won gold and silver keys.
“Mr. Pierson told me that my pieces got in but he wasn’t sure for what (gold or silver), so on one of the days we had off of school, my mom and I went down to Canton to see if we could figure it out, and the pieces had sticker based on their rewards. I told some of my friends what their pieces got as well,” Grandon said.
There was an award ceremony on January 27, where the winners got to see their art displayed at Kent State University.
“For the portfolio winners they called us each up on stage and took our pictures with our gold key lapels, and for individual [awards] we just announced what we got and accepted our awards,” Grandon said.
Grandon’s portfolio will be displayed and judged in New York City. Grandon intends to minor in art at Bowling Green State University.
Lauren DomDera
Senior Lauren DomDera won one gold key and three silver keys.
DomDera’s gold key winning piece titled “Complementary” is a scribble drawing of herself using different complementary colors.
“All of the works I entered were really different. One of them was one from last year and it doesn’t really fit my portfolio. It’s a colored pencil rendering of a guy holding a guitar. That one is my favorite because it’s realistic, the other ones are more abstract. There’s two of them that I entered that are more scribble style and I was really happy that they got in because I thought they were really good,” DomDera said.
Though DomDera did not have a passion for art throughout her childhood, she has grown to love it through her high school art classes.
“Honestly, I just took art classes. Last year, after I took Drawing and Design I just realized I liked it so I decided to do it this year and I’ve grown to love it even more,” DomDera said.
This year, DomDera is taking AP art and has to create a portfolio, which includes one of her silver key winning pieces titled “Mia’s Room”.
“My theme for my portfolio this year is more like childhood and nostalgia so the one I entered is a picture of one of my best friends’ rooms and it’s like a scribble style so it looks more youthful,” DomDera said.
DomDera entered four pieces and ended up having all four of her pieces receive either a gold or silver key.
“I was really stressed out because it said on the website that January 8 the winners were supposed to be notified. So I kept refreshing my email and there was nothing coming up, but the next day, Mr.Pierson was calling up people who won so I was waiting until he called me up and then he told me I won something and I was super excited,” DomDera said.
DomDera plans to continue studying art at Ohio University in the fall.
“I plan to go to OU and major in fine arts, I think, and I want to be an art director or sell my own art,” DomDera said.
Kavana Lokesh
Junior, Kavana Lokesh, won one gold key and three honorable mentions.
Her gold key winning piece, “Casual Conversations”, is a large scribble drawing made by using colored pencils. This photo was taken by Lokesh at a family event.
”It’s an impressionist-style scribble drawing that depicts my aunts gathered at a table at a get together. The work was done on a 24×35 inch black matte board and I made use of colored pencils to create random scribbles rather than trying to realistically depict the image. I chose this medium because it allowed me to focus on the mood of the picture rather than the specific details, since my reference photo did not portray the figures in great detail,”Lokesh said.
Her honorable mention works included a colored pencil rendering and two monotypes.
“I also won honorable mentions for a rendering and two monotypes. The drawing realistically depicts my hand, with henna designs on it, grasping a glass of water. The monotypes are produced by first painting on plexiglass with watercolor, then printing the painting onto paper. One of the monotypes showcases me as a toddler in ethnic clothing as I celebrated my birthday,” Lokesh said.
Lokesh is involved in AP art this year, meaning she has to create a portfolio. Lokesh’s portfolio depicts her experiences being a second-generation immigrant to the United States.
“Both of my parents were born and raised in India, while I have lived in America my whole life. I chose to depict unique family practices and how we like to embrace our culture,” Lokesh said.
This was Lokesh’s first time entering work into the Scholastic art competition, so she did not expect to win any awards.
“I did not expect to win a gold key and I was very surprised that I did, especially because this is the first time I have won an award before,” Lokesh said.
Lokesh plans to continue creating art during her free time, but does not plan on continuing professionally.
Julia Earley
Junior Julia Earley won one gold key and one honorable mention.
Earley explained the significance of the gold and silver key, and how only 10-15 percent of students win these awards.
“It’s a great honor. Mr. Pierson told us it’s like the top 10 percent of everything that was entered. And he said that it’s very good even to get an Honorable Mention, because it’s all the top 10 percent. So it’s like something that gets an honorable mention in one art show could get a higher award in another art show so, it’s a very high honor,” Earley said.
Earley’s winning work titled “Ponder” is a cross hatching portrait, meaning that there are many different short lines that create a bigger picture.
“The one that I know of that got the gold key was my cross hatching, which I really like with my hand. I really liked it when I did it because . . . it took a long time. It was one of the only ones I had to take home. It was super time consuming, but it was worth it. And it’s a self portrait of me and my hand. I think that’s one of the reasons it probably won was because hands,they like when there’s hands,” Earley said.
Her winning piece did not have much inspiration behind it because it was just an assignment given to her during her drawing and design class. She took a selfie with her hand in the frame and used it because the lighting was right.
“This one was just because it was an assignment. I really liked the reference picture, but really, this one didn’t have much of a significant meaning behind it,” Earley said.
Earley is still thinking about pursuing art as a career but she plans on continuing art as a hobby.
“I’m wondering whether I want to just keep it as a hobby or incorporate it into my job because I’m worried if I make it my job, then I’ll get burned out, and then I won’t want to do art at all,” Earley said.
Mischa Mudrak
Senior Mischa Mudrak won one gold key on a 3-D sculpture.
Mudrak explained the piece was an assignment given to her by Pierson. She also described her process of experimentation with the piece and how it evolved throughout the process of making it.
“It’s a giant bucket. Its name is Amy Winebucket because it’s a wine bucket with a face on it. It basically looks like a wood barrel with a face on it and it’s huge, way bigger than I expected it. It started out as a giant pop can and then it turned into a barrel. It’s a little creepy looking, but I love it,” Mudrak said.
Mudrak began her portfolio, which includes her winning sculpture, this year in AP 3D Art.
“My portfolio is going to include play on words, so everythings a little funny. For example, my next project might be a sandwich that’s a subway train or a Britney Spears head with actual spears,” Mudrak said.
Initially, Mudrak was always interested in art throughout her life, but she got more involved with art through her grandma, who was an art teacher.
“Well since elementary school, I’ve always loved all my art classes. It’s always been my favorite subject. And, my grandma was an art teacher, so visiting her and seeing all the art she did really inspired me. And my whole family is really supportive of my art,” Mudrak said.
This is Mudrak’s first time taking a 3-D art class so she did not expect to win an award so early in the year.
“The website was messed up and I thought he had already announced all the winners. Afterwards, Mr. Pierson was talking about how it’s hard to get in and we shouldn’t feel bad. And at the end of class, he just said ‘the bucket got in.’ I was in complete shock. I literally asked Mr. Pierson ‘are you sure?” Mudrak said.
Mudrak’s plans to continue art in college, though more graphic and media rather than clay.
“I would say not really sculptures and clay, but I want to focus on media and graphics but I will always love working with clay,” Mudrak said.
Artists will now judge Mudrak’s sculpture “Amy Winebucket” while it is on display in New York City.
Ryley Ferris
Senior Ryley Ferris won two silver keys and five honorable mentions.
Her piece titled, “Me and Mr. Jones,” is a photograph taken by Ferris.
“I used to be friends with all these older art kids and one of them would put together these photo shoots with all the Firestone artsy kids and he was a photographer. And since then, I’ve always been into photography, and so I’ve always had a nice DSLR camera, but that was the first ever photo shoot that I participated in and took pictures and thought the pictures were good,” Ferris said.
Ferris took these pictures when she was around thirteen years old, but never submitted the photos to any competitions until this year.
“I just never did anything with that because I didn’t really know what to do,” Ferris said.
Ferris always had confidence in this photo, so when she submitted it to a competition she won a silver key.
“The one that won a silver key has always been my favorite picture I’ve ever taken, ever of all time, and I’ve always said that. I know I had faith in this one,” Ferris said.
Her other silver key, “Observatory,” is another photograph that Ferris took.
“The other was just literally this random picture I took of my best friend when we were at an abandoned observatory in Cleveland. And I was just seriously, like, we were walking downstairs like, oh, this is cool. And I just submitted it,” Ferris said.
Ferris’ love of art started when she needed an escape from other school subjects.
“I’ve always been terrible at actual school subjects except for English and writing, which I guess is art in its own way. So it was like my English classes and my art classes were the two school things that I liked. And then I just have always enjoyed and appreciated art,” Ferris said.
Ferris does not plan on continuing fine arts professionally, but would like to continue photography.
“Probably not so much like fine art. I just feel like I’m not going to have time to, but I would like to.
“I just feel like . . . in adult life, you don’t have as much time, but I plan on traveling and trying to live in various scenic places. So at least photography, I plan on keeping up,” Ferris said.
Emerson Padgett
Senior Emerson Padgett won one silver key and three honorable mentions.
For her first piece titled “Bouncy House” Padgett used a photo reference to create a colored pencil rendering. This piece was featured in her AP Drawing portfolio she created her junior year.
“My drawing, I did at the beginning of junior year and it’s from a picture of my sister with her face pressed against a bounty house. It was just like a close up colored pencil rendering of her face,” Padgett said.
She also explained that the three other pieces she submitted received honorable mentions.
“I submitted a colored pencil rendering of my sister when we were younger, in the bubble bath. And then the other two were scribble drawings of my grandpa and another scribble one of my sister, because I just really draw from old family pictures,” Padgett said.
Her inspiration comes from how people are influenced by different forms of art. Her portfolio follows styles of different famous artists.
“I think [my portfolio is] going to be something about how art influences people, and when you’re observing art, how that influences you. So far, my pieces have been kind of mimicking different artist styles, like I did a Van Gogh one and now this is a Degas style monotype, so something around that idea,” Padgett explained.
Padgett did not expect to win awards this year, especially since the works she submitted were not her favorites. Pierson encouraged her to submit the works that ended up winning.
“Last year, I received all honorable mentions. And honestly, the ones I submitted to [Scholastics] I didn’t really like that much, so I wasn’t expecting the award, but the one that won my silver key is like my least favorite thing I’ve ever done,” Padgett said.
Though Padgett does not plan on pursuing art full time she will continue producing art as a hobby.
“I enjoy doing art on the side. It’s a nice, relaxing thing, and it still makes me feel productive. So it’s a fun thing to do on the side,” Padgett said.
Kael Schoolcraft
Junior Kael Schoolcraft won one silver key and one honorable mention.
Her painting, “Perceptions: Ash,” was a distorted portrait of one of her closest friends. Through her painting, Schoolcraft created a version of her friend that aligns with their personality.
“My piece ‘Perceptions: Ash’ was a portrait of one of my oldest friends, but stylized and warped to match how I myself perceive them. For example, the painting is a bit messy and loose, because I view Ash as a wild, untamable character. Perfectly neat lines just wouldn’t fit who they are as a person,” Schoolcraft said.
Schoolcraft has loved art since her childhood and she understands how art can express more than words sometimes.
“I was always a creative kid, and when my words couldn’t convey the ideas I wanted, I turned to art. I love drawing,” Schoolcraft said.
The silver key was a surprise to her, as she compared her artwork to all the other work that was entered into the competition.
“I didn’t even expect to win a single award. Great artists are found everywhere, and I’m surprised I won anything at all with how beautiful some of the other entries were. Mr. Pierson came to my classroom and was like ‘Hey, I need your painting and I went ‘Huh, what?’ And he said something along the lines of ‘Yeah apparently you won something’ and that was that,” Schoolcraft said.
Schoolcraft plans to continue creating art in the future.
“Art isn’t something you can just stop. Human beings exist to create, and no matter how it is that we create, be it through music, writing, or the visual arts, we all will continue to bring art into the world. As for myself, I’ve always used my art as a way to bring others joy, so I have no plans of stopping,” Schoolcraft said.
Schoolcraft has a website where people can commission art from her.
Charlie Messner
Junior Charlie Messner won a silver key on a photograph piece.
Messner’s piece titled “Memories” was a project in his digital art class. He experimented with this piece by trying different techniques.
“I overlayed photos of windows throughout the school and tried to match up the perspective lines and horizon lines. I hoped everything would blur together so that the viewer couldn’t tell which individual object was from which image, but still be able to make out an obvious scene,” Messner said.
Messner enjoys creating art but he more so does it for enjoyment.
”I always loved doodling, and although I’m not as involved in art as a lot of my friends are, I don’t think I will ever stop at least drawing on the edges of my papers and editing images and making collages. There wasn’t a specific moment when I became an artist and I still hardly consider myself one,” Messner said.
Messner explained that there was not a specific inspiration for this piece, since it was an assignment he had to get done.
“We were prompted to take our own pictures specifically for the assignment and since I was working during school hours, I could only really take pictures around the school. I thought the windows were the prettiest part of the school so I focused on those,” Messner said.
This was Messner’s first experience with using photoshop for an assignment like this, so he was surprised Jennifer Seegert, his digital art teacher, wanted him to submit it.
“I was surprised Mrs. Seegert even wanted me to submit it. I had never done photoshop for aesthetic purposes before so it was a surprise that something I made was so well-received,” Messner said.
Messner does not have any plans to professionally continue art but plans to continue creating art as a hobby or for enjoyment.
