Celebrate the West is a regional art competition hosted by the Western Governors' Association that challenges high school students to create works inspired by their state. See their artwork here.
The Western Governors’ Foundation is excited to announce the winners of the seventh annual Celebrate the West regional art competition, sponsored by Americans for the Arts.
Nearly 250 works of art from 17 WGA member states, as well as Guam and American Samoa, were entered into the competition this year, which challenged high school students to create two-dimensional artwork inspired by their state.
The Western Governors' Foundation's panel of art experts selected one finalist from each state and territory. State Winners will receive $200 and compete for First ($1,500), Second ($750), and Third Place ($500) Awards at the regional level.
Michelle Lin from California won first place for her piece, Unity
Janessa Chaplin from Montana won second for her piece, Montana Mindset
Alexes Brown from Kansas won third place for her piece, Statue of Home
See all the winning works in the slideshow below, as well as a complete list of state Finalists.
The Western Governors’ Foundation is also pleased to announce the third recipient of its Chairman’s Award for Outstanding High School Art Teacher: Thomas Wiberg who teaches drawing and painting at Cibola High school in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Mr. Wiberg has been the drawing and painting teacher at Cibola HS for the last five years and has lived in New Mexico since 1993. He moved to the state shortly after graduating from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota with a Bachelor’s degree in Art Education. Oil painting is his medium of choice, but he tries to expose himself to a variety of mediums and recently completed a few ceramic wall murals. As an Art Teacher, his goal is to help students not only gain proficiency as an artist and appreciate art, but also to assist them in finding out what kind of artist they want to be, and help guide them through that evolution.
Alaska: Alain Soltys-Gray, Thunder Mountain High School, Chasing Dreams, acrylic
American Smoa: Audrey Sevaaetasi, Samoana High School, The World We Hold, markers and pen
Arizona: Katharina Seibert, Prescott High School, Javelina Sundown, acrylic
Califronia: Michelle Lin, Irvington High School, Unity, acrylic
Colorado: Lia Young, Green Mountain High School, Western Skies, colored pencil
Guam: Yennafer Celis, Simon a. Sanchez High School, With Your Heart, digital art
Hawaii: Dianne Marie Cabico, Moanalua High School, Within Our Hearts, digital art
Idaho: Priscilla Folkerts, Home School, Homeward Bound, digital art
Kansas: Alexes Brown, Northeast Magnet High School, Statue of Home, digital art
Montana: Janessa Chaplin, Hamilton High School, Montna Mindset, acrylic
Nevada: Maya Park-Weber, Davidson Academy,Valley of the West, watercolor
New Mexico: Ethan Begay, Cibola High School, Coyotes Celestial Creation, colored pencil
North Dakota: Garrett Palaniuk, Beulah High School, Midwest Fields, oil pastels
Oklahoma: Hannah Bernstein, Bishop Mcguinness, In the Trees, colored pencils
Oregon: Antonia Prinster, Summit High School, Klah Klahnee-Three Sisters, colored pencils
South Dakoata: Mayerlin Lopez, Freeman Public School, South Dakota State Pride, marker and watercolor
Utah: Hannah Gallacher, Homeschool, Grandpa's Favorite Farmhand, pencil
Washington: Melissa Arellano, A.C. Davis High School, La Manzana, acrylic
Wyoming: Alexandria Huss, Natrona County High School, Patience, acrylic
