Instructor Lauren Cook teaches art students at St. Andrew's Episcopal School. Young artists received awards at the school's annual Visual Arts Awards assembly recently. Photo by Marilyn Campbell
Potomac — Local budding artists were honored for their talent recently when St. Andrew's Episcopal School handed out accolades to more than 50 middle and upper school students at the school's annual Visual Arts Awards assembly in Potomac, Md. The awards celebrate the quality of the art and design produced by student artists each year.
The Judges' Choice Awards were given in several categories, including middle school art, photography, computer graphics, 3-D art and design, ceramics, 2-D art and design and yearbook. The winning artists' work will be displayed in the school for one year.
“We know that the arts not only have value in their own right, but that involvement in the arts amplifies a student's ability to retrieve and integrate knowledge drawn from science, mathematics and the humanities.”
— Lauren Cook
“The public exhibition of artwork in the Kreeger Art Gallery, and the chance to have it assessed in a supportive environment based on standards of excellence in the world of art and design is a valuable and honored opportunity for St. Andrew's students,” said Lauren Cook, head of the school's Visual Arts Department.
St. Andrew's parents who are also active professionals in the fields of visual art, art education and communication judged the students' art. Each piece was evaluated on creativity, personal expression, risk-taking, composition and technical skill with materials.
Cook said the field of visual arts is an integral part of the curriculum at St. Andrew's: “Our students see the arts as a way of thinking and learning and expressing themselves across our curriculum,” she said. “They [learn] important creative problem-solving skills that will help them contribute to the growing 'creative economy' awaiting them. We know that the arts not only have value in their own right, but that involvement in the arts amplifies a student's ability to retrieve and integrate knowledge drawn from science, mathematics and the humanities.”
Cook added that instructors encourage students to develop their individual styles and strengths.
“Our Intermediate School students walk into my classroom ready to create,” said Gary Wyatt, a member of the Visual Arts faculty. “They haven't adopted the 'I don't do art' or 'I'm not a good artist' attitude. My job is to help every student feel successful as an artist, to feel safe experimenting with their art-making, and to help them apply their natural creativity to all sorts of studio challenges, from designing a bridge in their science class, to creating a public service poster with computer graphics, to painting a self-portrait.”
Some students see visual arts as means of self-expression. “For me, art is a way to show what I might not be able to as well through speaking or writing,” said Felipe De La Hoz, an 11th grade student who won awards in the photography and painting and drawing categories. “I may not be able to explain a concept those ways, but I can show it through my photographs or paintings.”
2012 Judges’ Choice Awardees
Middle School Art 2012 Judges’ Choice Awardees:
Tristen Chen, 2016
Sam Good, 2017
Rachel Greenberg & Sari Postal for work on a sculptural collaboration, 2017
John Henneman, 2016
Benjamin Hesse, 2016
Nicole Kittay, 2016
Will Lucas, 2017
Sari Postal, 2017
Bobby Radecki (2 awards), 2016
Elyse Sibarium & William Yeo for work on a sculptural collaboration, 2017
Jack Tsintolas, 2016
Aidan Wallace, 2016
Upper School 3-Dimensional & Ceramic Art 2012 Judges’ Choice Awardees:
Alex Armbruster, 2014
Rehan Butt (2 awards), 2012
Ella Farago, 2014
Kate Fuller, 2015
Elizabeth Holland, 2015
Ahmed Ibrahim-Hassan, 2012
Collin Smith (2 awards), 2014
Lars Sorenson, 2013
Yueqi Sun, 2015
Noa West, 2015
Upper School Computer Graphics 2012 Judges’ Choice Awardees:
River Albo, 2015
Tom Banks, 2015
Rehan Butt, 2012
Harry Vincent, 2014
Upper School Photography, 2012 Judges’ Choice Awardees:
Zoe Atchinson, 2012
Adam Barton, 2012
Rehan Butt, 2012
Grace Chupka, 2013
Felipe De La Hoz, 2013
Morgan Harris, 2012
Ian McLuckie, 2012
Billy Petito, 2013
Jacob Reiskin, 2013
Upper School 2-Dimensional Art 2012 Judges’ Choice Awardees:
Boni Agbaniyaka, 2012
CK Cheong, 2012
Rebekah Daniels, 2013
Emma Davey, 2013
Felipe De La Hoz, 2013
Christina Farley, 2012
Kate Fuller, 2015
Ben Greene, 2014
Alex Hastings, 2012
Randi Kontner, 2012
Memuna McShane, 2015
Abbey Michaels, 2013
Harrison Neally, 2013
Cannon Pappas, 2012
Jordan Reilly, 2015
Anne Mercer Shoenfeld, 2012
Flanders Shtasel-Kretz, 2015
Jacqueline Sisson, 2012
Alexa Tsintolas (3 awards), 2013
Daniel Wagner, 2014
Noa West, 2015