A few weeks ago, several Revere High School (RHS) students received honors at the annual Scholastics Art and Writing show. At the regional level, all entries are eligible for either an honorable mention, a silver key, or a gold key (listed in ascending order of prestige). Entries that win a gold key at the regional level are automatically considered for National Awards, which include a silver medal, a gold medal, or art scholarships. Pieces that qualify for National Awards will be judged in New York, with awards announced in the spring.
Any recognition at the regional level, even honorable mentions, signifies that the chosen work was in the top 10-15 percent of all regional submissions.
Julia Earley
Senior Julia Earley won two individual gold keys, three silver keys, an honorable mention, and a gold key for her entire portfolio.
Earley has won Scholastic awards both her sophomore and junior year. Currently in her second year of AP Art, her Scholastic portfolio features work from her AP Art Portfolio from her junior year. She explained the theming of the pieces she submitted.
“The theme was eyeballs, basically, that I took from work that I did last year for my AP Portfolio. The Scholastic one, though, is smaller. . . it’s only five or six pieces, and the AP one’s way bigger, it’s either fifteen or twenty,” Earley said.
Earley’s portfolio required a variety of different artistic skills and techniques to pull off. Earley went in depth regarding her process for several of her pieces.
“It was mostly just colored pencil rendering. I have a really big one, so for that one I used a projector instead of graphing. . . I projected and then I drew the basic shape on it and then I just used the reference from there. And then I also had really small ones that I transferred. . . so you rub white pigment on the back of the picture and then you push down the front, and then it transfers the white onto the matte board. But then there was one that was a multimedia piece which was wallpaper samples that I cut up in different shapes. That was the outlier,” Earley said.
Even though she submitted older pieces for Scholastic, Earley made sure to improve upon her work, an aspect of her portfolio that she is proudest of. She reflected on a specific piece that showed off this meticulousness.
“I did a piece of. . . my dad’s eye and my sister’s eye. When it was submitted in my AP portfolio last year, I really didn’t like it that much because I felt like it could be so much better. It was just kind of dull and too dark, and when I wanted to submit it into my Scholastic portfolio, I went back and I changed the colors. I brightened it up. . . and added more details that I felt were missing. And then that one won a gold. I feel like it definitely wouldn’t have if I kept it the way it was, so I was proud of myself for going and changing it because usually I’ll leave a piece by itself— once it’s done, it’s done. But I was proud I went back and it was worth it,” Earley said.
Earley explained that her love for art never left her after childhood, and that she actively sought it out as a kid. She said that once she reached high school, she found even more motivation to hone her skills, as evidenced by her involvement in high-level art courses and National Art Honors Society.
Earley plans to enroll at Kent State University to major in Printmaking and Photography, but is considering other options like Studio Art and Graphic Design. Whatever she chooses, Earley plans on being professionally involved in art after school.
Annabelle Steiner
Senior Annabelle Steiner won an honorable mention and two gold keys.
All three of Steiner’s recognized pieces are colored pencil renderings. Steiner, an AP Art Student, explained how the subjects for her gold-key winning pieces tie into her portfolio’s theme of reflection.
“For my one gold key, it’s a picture of my friend in the marching band that I took one day during band class outside. It looks really cool because. . . it’s a mellophone with reflections on it, and it took me a really long time so I’m really proud of it. And then, the second one I got a gold key for was a picture of my other friend hanging upside down in a playground. We were on a hike and there was a playground, and I thought it was a fun picture. And they. . . “reflect” a, you know, fun time when I hang out with my friends,” Steiner said.
Since taking Drawing and Design last year, Steiner feels as though she has seen a great improvement in her technical skill. She reflected on the pride she felt after submitting her works.
“I’m really proud of the development over the past year, because, like, my works from last year weren’t really that great. I developed a lot of skill in colored pencil rendering and. . . at layering the colors in a way that makes [images] more photorealistic, which is really cool to see that progression and that payoff,” Steiner said.
Beyond technical skill, Steiner reflected on the impact that art classes have had on her success.
“I’ve always kind of liked art, but when I took Elements my sophomore year with Mr. Pierson, I feel like he kind of unlocked that and made me realize my potential. And he convinced me to take Drawing and Design, and then in Drawing and Design he convinced me to take AP. And I really enjoyed doing that,” Steiner said.
Steiner does not have any current plans of continuing art professionally, but plans on keeping it a large part of her life.
Ruby Aldrich
Junior Ruby Aldrich won one gold key for her piece entitled “Wedding Day”.
Aldrich explained that her winning piece will be part of her AP Art Portfolio when she takes the class next year. The colored pencil rendering will be part of a 15-piece body of work as is required for AP.
“My focus is superstitions. So I kind of wanted to do something wedding-themed, the superstition that you have to have something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue,” Aldrich said.
Aldrich reflected on the process of making her piece and the difficulty she encountered with some of the elements, explaining the effort that went into creating some of the more intricate elements.
“I really am proud of how the doll faces turned out, and, more importantly, the dresses because of the lace, because I freehanded all of that. . . I was going to be sad if I didn’t get anything for it because I worked too long and too hard on that piece. The fabric in general is always difficult, but I always love [drawing] the fabric,” Aldrich said.
Aldrich explained that she has grown up as an artistically inclined person, with her mother frequently creating artwork. It has since become a part of her everyday routine.
“I’ve never had a year where I didn’t take an art class. . . I can’t imagine having school without an art class, so I’m definitely going to take some kind of art when I’m in college,” Aldrich said.
Alexis Miller
Senior Alexis Miller won three honorable mentions, a silver key, and a gold key.
All of her winning pieces were colored pencil renderings. Now in AP Art, Miller explained that her silver and gold key wins came from previous art class experience.
“Both of them were assignments that Pierson had assigned me my sophomore year in Drawing and Design. . . the gold key was a scribble portrait of an old picture of myself,” Miller said.
Miller explained that she does not do art recreationally outside of school, as she has a busy schedule. Because of this, she has only ever had time to hone her skills within the classroom, which is something that gives her an additional sense of pride in her wins.
“I’m [proudest of] how much [I’ve] grown, just because I don’t really do art outside of assignments. . . so I’m just proud of my technique,” Miller said.
In regard to the difficulties she encountered with her submissions, Miller said that her problems were more rooted in getting everything done rather than certain elements of her images.
“I would say the hardest part about the work is finishing them, because after I get halfway done, I just kind of lose motivation to finish them and I just want to start something new,” Miller said.
Despite her struggles, Miller emerged as one of Revere’s most decorated art students this year. She emphasized that without Mr. Pierson’s encouragement over the years, she likely would not have progressed so much. She plans on continuing art in the future.
“As a career, I do want to be an art teacher and a nurse, so that’s how I plan on continuing it outside of school,” Miller said.
Azra Zook
Junior Azra Zook won one gold key for a colored pencil rendering.
As a current AP Art student, Zook explained that her winning work is part of her themed portfolio that she will be submitting at the end of the year. The piece is a realistic colored pencil rendering featuring a scene with barn animals.
“My theme has been to represent memories through animals, and that was one of my artworks,” Zook said.
Zook explained that the hardest part of the piece was finishing and refining all the little details in the image, elaborating that the smaller elements took her the most time to complete and perfect. She said that her textures are what she is proudest of.
“I really like how I drew the fur and stuff. . . I think the donkeys look really nice,” Zook said.
Zook said her love for art stems back to her childhood, emphasizing that she has been drawing her whole life. Though she is unsure if she will pursue art as a career, she plans on continuing it recreationally.
Kavana Lokesh
Senior Kavana Lokesh won one gold key for a colored pencil rendering.
Now in her second year of AP Art, Lokesh explained how her winning piece ties into her portfolio’s theme last year.
“The subject was a bunch of my mom’s old jewelry that she got from India, so since my theme last year for AP Art was about my Indian heritage, I included those because they are pretty integral to my mom’s culture,” Lokesh said.
Lokesh explained that she enjoys using colored pencils as a medium because of the ease with which they blend and layer on top of each other. Despite this, she had to get creative with how to best convey the complexity of her subject.
“Because there were so many little details in the gold and how it reflected off different things, it was hard to capture every single [part],” Lokesh said.
Lokesh also won a gold piece last year for a large scribble portrait of her mother and friends wearing traditional Indian clothing chatting around a table. This was also submitted as part of her AP Portfolio. Lokesh explained how she got into higher-level art.
“I’ve been drawing since I was little, but once I got into high school, I started taking art classes [seriously]. I’ve been taking them every year since freshman year,” Lokesh said.
Lokesh currently has no plans to pursue art professionally, but intends to keep it as a hobby.
Leila Gardner
Junior Leila Gardner won one gold key and one silver key.
Both of Gardner’s recognized pieces were monotypes, a printmaking technique that involves painting on a smooth surface and transferring the image onto paper. Her silver-winning piece was a self-portrait. Gardner explained her pride in her recognition.
“For my silver piece, that was my first-ever monotype, so I thought it was really cool that it won something. I’d never done a technique like that before, and it was a different experience,” Gardner said.
Gardner explained that the nature of monotypes requires a more critical approach to deciding how to convey a subject.
“With monotypes, you have to be kind of [creative] in almost getting an idea of how abstract or how realistic you want to make it; it’s kind of a difficult process,” Gardner said.
Gardner’s gold winning piece required a more refined set of skills for the complex subjects, which featured a few of her friends. She elaborated on her fondness for what the piece represents.
“My gold piece was my bigger piece and I took the photo when I was in New York City. . . I just really liked how everyone was having a lot of fun, we were all doing our makeup in the middle of the streets and it was really funny,” Gardner said.
Gardner started pursuing art seriously in eighth grade. She explained what pushed her to continue honing her skills in high school.
“I feel like I’ve always had a joy for art, and then I did crew [for Revere Players] with Mr. Pierson, and that’s when I realized I really liked him as a teacher,” Gardner said.
After high school, Gardner would like to continue creating art as a hobby.
Carson Hull
Junior Carson Hull won one gold key for a print of one of their photos.
Hull specializes in astrophotography, which involves photographing bodies in space. Their fascination with the process started with watching online creators. Hull explained what fascinates him about astrophotography specifically.
“I just like how, when I take photos, it brings out details that you can’t visibly see with your eyes, and it’s like discovering something that. . . almost isn’t there and bringing it out. It’s really cool to see that happen,” Hull said.
Hull’s photo features said details on full display. They explained what they enjoyed the most about how the piece turned out, including vibrant color variations and sharp details that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye. Hull elaborated on what draws them to photography as a medium as opposed to techniques like colored pencils or painting.
“[With photography], it’s taking a snapshot in time of something that’s actually there, rather than something fictional that you can make up,” Hull said.
Hull explained that the most difficult part of getting the photo was dealing with technology, but they have honed their skills for the past two-and-a-half years they have been doing photography. They plan on keeping the medium a large part of their life in the future.
Georgia Stanley
Junior Georgia Stanley won one gold key and one silver key for colored pencil renderings.
Her gold key rendering features herself and crows surrounding her as the subject. She explained that the work is part of her AP portfolio, which drove the inspiration for the piece.
“I’m really big on birds, and so the idea for the picture I took kind of just came to . . . I thought it would work really well for the theme that I was doing for the class,” Stanley said.
Stanley’s fondness for the crows in the piece extends beyond their physical form. She elaborated that the symbolism of the piece is what she takes the most pride in.
“I [like] just the overall look of it. . . [and] the symbolism of it. The crows. . . symbolize death and loved ones [that have passed],” Stanley said.
To create the melancholy feeling of the piece, Stanley used colored pencil rendering to achieve a refined look. She explained what she likes about the medium.
“I really like using colored pencils because I like how they kind of blend together, and you can have a wide variation [of colors]. . . you can use the same color [in different ways]. Like, if you use white, it can be a bright white or a soft grey,” Stanley said.
After school, Stanley plans on incorporating her artistic eye into her desired career in interior design.
Samantha Heider
Senior Samantha Heider won one silver key for her monotype.
Currently in AP Art, Heider explained that her piece was part of a larger exploration of monotypes. She described the process as dynamic and experimental, allowing for creative freedom while still maintaining a sense of realism.
“Monotypes [are] basically like watercolor printing, sort of where you just paint, and then you use that thing as [something] new and turn it a bunch of times. I really like it because monotypes can be realistic, but then you have the freedom of adding stuff in the background,” Heider said.
She noted that many artists print monotypes multiple times, creating variations of the same piece with different colors or details. While she prefers black-and-white prints, she acknowledged the versatility of color in monotype work.
“A lot of [people]. . . will take monotypes and print them more than once, which is really cool. And then [they] make, like two different versions . . . It’s actually really fun. You can do a lot of things with monotypes,” Heider said
While Heider cannot see her pursuing art as a career she looks to the future hoping to continue it recreationally.
“I can definitely see myself pursuing art, and, like, having it as a side thing where I sell my art or paint stuff,” Heider said.
Josie Sobieraj
Senior Josie Sobieraj won a silver key and an honorable mention for their work.
Sobieraj recalled that their piece stemmed from a project focused on multiples, where they initially considered using the moon as a central theme. Ultimately, their interest in shadows and how they alter the perception of an image guided the final design.
“It’s a portrait of the same person facing three different directions. I got a silver key for it. My artwork was kind of inspired by the faces of the moon. I think around the time we were. . . [given] the project, we had to do multiples. At first I . . . [thought] I could do something with the moon or [something with] shadows and how shadows affect a different picture to make it look different,” Sobieraj said.
Sobeieraj admitted that the medium they won in is not their favorite but they still enjoyed the artistic process needed to create the piece.
“Colored pencil is one of the first and main mediums we do within AP; Mr. Pierson teaches it the most. It’s [what] almost everyone does in AP, but I would say it’s not my favorite. After that, we also did monotypes for the first time, which I really liked. . . doing colored pencil for the first time was fun—it was very interesting to learn— but I really don’t want to do them again,” Sobieraj said
Sobieraj’s life has been filled with art ever since their early childhood, and they use their talent to better express themself.
“I’ve been doing art ever since I could pick up a pencil, I’d say. Mostly I think it kind of started [because of the] fact that I was never really good at actually spelling things. I thought [that] maybe if I could just draw a picture instead, they would understand what I’m talking about. So. . . [it] all spiraled from there,” Sobieraj said.
In their future they plan on continuing into the art world, not as an artist but rather a curator.
Wilbur Wenner
Wilbur Wenner won four silver keys and primarily focused on showcasing the school’s band.
“I really wanted to highlight the trombone because of how dynamic it looks when someone’s playing it. There’s a lot of movement with the slide, and I thought it would be fun to capture that in color,” Wenner said
Wenner, who has always been drawn to challenging subjects, found inspiration not only in his musically gifted friend but also in the technical aspects of capturing metal surfaces and realistic hand movements. The trombone’s reflective brass surface required extensive layering of colors to properly replicate the way it picks up its surroundings.
“It was tough to get the reflections right. I had to layer a ton of different shades—yellows, oranges, even purples—to make it look realistic,” Wenner said.
While Wenner isn’t sure if he’ll pursue art professionally, he knows it will always be a part of his life in some way.
“I just like creating things that capture moments or tell a story. So I think I’ll always be drawing, even if it’s just for myself,” Wenner said.
Megan Riley
Senior Megan Riley won one silver key and an honorable mention for her work.
Riley’s artistic journey in school started by chance. She emphasized the role that Mr. Pierson played in encouraging her to hone her skills and push herself into doing more advanced art, and the positive experiences she got out of her classes.
“I had Mr. Pierson for Elements, and he [told me my] stuff was good [and that] I should just do Drawing and Design. So, I did, and I actually had a lot of fun in that class, because everything turned out really well. He said, [that if I] wanted to take another art class, which [he] really advised me to do, [I] should take AP Art, so that’s kind of how I got there,” Riley said.
Riley explained the background behind her piece, specifically how combining two different disciplines resulted in a unique visual effect.
“For the printing monotype, we had a project in the very beginning of the year to do just line contours. So it was just like a project that we did, and then I ended up [adding] a watercolor aspect to it to make it more [like a] cartoon. And I would just think of it kind of like school,” Riley said.
Riley described the new approach she took with her piece, opting for a playful style rather than the more realistic ones that many of her peers used.
“It kind of stood out from the rest of them because [most people] did realism or a sculpture, and mine was like a cartoon and looked like it came out of a children’s book,” Riley said.
Riley originally had plans to pursue art in college, but has decided to continue it as a hobby.
Charlotte Fairhurst
Sophomore Charlotte Fairhurst won one Silver Key.
Her winning piece was a colored pencil drawing of stuffed animals, capturing intricate details like fabric textures, stitching, and shadows. Fairhurst explained that achieving a soft yet realistic look required careful layering and precise blending. However, the technical aspects weren’t the only challenge in creating the piece.
“[One of the hardest parts] was getting the shading right because stuffed animals have a lot of soft curves, but also defined edges where the seams are. Colored pencil isn’t very forgiving, so I had to be really careful with pressure and layering to make sure everything looked natural,” she said.
Fairhurst’s skill with colored pencils has developed over years of practice. She reflected on how her interest in art grew and how she began taking it more seriously in high school.
“I’ve always loved drawing, but I really started focusing on it in high school. Taking Drawing and Design pushed me to try more detailed work, and that’s when I realized how much I enjoy working with colored pencils,” she said.
Now in her second year of high school art classes, Fairhurst appreciates the opportunities available for students to explore their creativity and develop their techniques.
“The art program here gives you a lot of freedom to experiment. You get to try different styles and materials, but also really focus on one if you want to get better at it,” she said.
While she isn’t sure if she’ll pursue art in college, Fairhurst plans to continue drawing and exploring different techniques.
Tali Farrell
Senior Tali Farrell won one silver key.
Their winning piece was a colored pencil rendering of stuffed animals, featuring complex details like hair, fur, and mirrors. For the piece, Farrell explained that they had to use small pencil strokes and transferring to obtain the desired realistic effect. They explained that the techniques were not the only hard part of creating the piece.
“[One of the hardest parts] was color matching, just because there’s. . . a lot of oranges in it, and the colored pencils we use don’t have exact color matches, so you have to make them yourself. . . that was definitely difficult,” Farrell said.
Farrell’s finesse with the medium they used comes from years of practice. They reflected on how they got more seriously involved with art.
“Middle school was when I started doing art classes in school and I kind of took it more seriously. That’s when I started working on art for fun,” Farrell said.
Now in their seventh year of honing her skills in school, Farrell emphasized how the courses and opportunities available at Revere support any students who want to get more involved in higher-level art classes.
“Especially with what we have here with AP Art, you can go into [the class] with a selective medium. . . or focus. . . you’re able to [be] more creative [as you] go into it more,” Farrell said.
Farrell plans to enroll at OSU as a Studio Arts major and plans on focusing on printmaking in her time there.
Ellie York
Junior Ellie York won two honorable mentions as well as a silver key.
For her silver key winning piece, she submitted a close-up of her mother’s hands resting on her lap, highlighting every wrinkle, vein, and subtle imperfection, showcasing the years of care and labor they have endured.
“I spent way too much time layering colors to get the texture right. It was kind of frustrating, actually, but I really wanted it to feel real—like you could almost reach out and touch it,” York said.
Hands, rather than a traditional portrait, became the focus of the piece because of their ability to tell a unique story. York explained that her mother’s hands have always been a symbol of strength and care, constantly working, cooking, and supporting those around her.
“My mom’s hands have always been busy, you know? And they look like it. I guess I just wanted to capture that,” York said.
Looking back on her journey as an artist, York recalled always having an interest in drawing, but it wasn’t until high school that she started taking it more seriously.
“I’ve been drawing since I was a kid, but I didn’t think of it as a serious thing until high school. My teacher pushed me to try harder, and I realized how much I love working with colored pencils,” York said
Although York enjoys the art world, she does not see herself pursuing it as a career.
Kerrigan Stanoch
Kerrigan Stanoch earned a Silver Key award, along with four Honorable Mentions. While her Honorable Mentions spanned different mediums, it was her colored pencil piece that secured the Silver Key.
“I won a Silver Key for one of my rendering projects, and then I won four Honorable Mentions,” “The one that won the Silver Key, the bigger award, was colored pencil,” She said
The award-winning piece was part of a reflective assignment, where Stanoch used a pair of sunglasses as her subject. To create the reference image, she posed while making an exaggerated facial expression, then focused on capturing the sunglasses’ details with colored pencil on a blackboard.
“I just had to color the sunglasses, basically,” she said.
Stanoch’s passion for art has deep roots in her family. With a mother who is an artist, creativity was always present in her home. However, she credits her older sister as her biggest influence.
“My sister was in AP Art when I was a freshman, and she was a senior I really took after that—I thought it was really cool, so I would just practice. And I thought it was really fun,” She said
Among her many projects, Stanoch takes particular pride in the ones that require significant time and effort. Some of her larger pieces take up to two months to complete, making them especially meaningful to her. One recent piece, a portrait of herself and her sisters, stands out as a personal favorite.
“I think it looks very much like us, and that’s hard to do sometimes so I’m really proud of that one, for sure,” She said.
While art has played a major role in Stanoch’s life, she is still considering her future career path. Though she doesn’t see herself pursuing fine art or graphic design professionally, she is interested in fields where she can incorporate her artistic skills.
“I don’t exactly know what I want to do after college, but I’m thinking possibly [something in] architecture, since you use art in that I think I have a strong suit in art, but I just don’t see myself doing it as a career” She said.
Regardless of where her career takes her, Stanoch’s artistic abilities and dedication to her craft have already earned her significant recognition.
Thomas Long
Thomas Long was awarded a silver key for a colored pencil rendering.
Long’s winning piece showcased his attention to detail and dedication to his craft. He explained that the process required patience and careful technique to achieve the final result.
“It took a lot of time to get everything just right. There were moments where I had to step back and rethink certain parts, but in the end, it all came together,” he said.
Long reflected on how his interest in art has grown over the years and how his experiences in class have helped him refine his skills.
“I’ve been drawing for a while, but high school has really given me the chance to push myself and try new things,” he said.
Now in his second year of art classes, Long appreciates the opportunities to explore different styles and improve his work.
“There’s a lot of freedom to experiment and figure out what works best. That’s been really helpful,” he said.
While he’s uncertain about his future plans with art, Long knows he will continue creating in some capacity.
