2025 Art Show Voting

Artist's Name: Claira Tuning
Title: Placed on a Pedastal
Medium: Charcoal
Inspiration: The concept of the piece is primarily up to the spectator; however, it essentially resembles a faultless figure of stone seen by ordinary people. The figure is depicted as a solid edifice or foundation. However, above it is bound by unseen hands, which indicate the true source of control. I was able to recognize some difficulties associated with working on such a large piece; it can be challenging to keep going when you've been working on something off and on for several months. A few times I wanted to discontinue working on it. If I were to do things differently, I would concentrate more on the source of lighting to aid with shading and have more comprehensive references when composing the piece. This made drawing the figures' faces more challenging because I couldn't envisage how they would look in their natural surroundings.

Artist's Name: Clara Hawkins
Title: 10th Grade Wrestler
Medium: Color Photography
Dimensions: 14" x 11"
Inspiration: My photograph, "10th Grade Wrestler", isn’t a super significant or meaningful photo. I have been working on different techniques for awhile, and after taking this picture, it has helped me find the style of photography I enjoy doing the most.

Artist's Name: Clara Warren
Title: Caged Emotions
Medium: Oil Pastels
Dimensions: 34" x 24"
Inspiration: Through the depiction of a bird of prey protesting capture by one with a still face, my oil pastel piece represents the hardship many face when unnecessarily caging their emotions. My piece represents the whirlwind of emotions that arise during adolescence and the need many feel to conceal and trap them. This drawing acknowledges the unhealthy masking of emotions in hopes of urging myself and others to express the emotions we feel must be caged in. Emotions, just like the seemingly dangerous and wild bird, are natural, and make us who we are: something meant to be free.

Artist's Name: Destiny Lepe
Title: Portrait
Medium: Watercolor
Dimensions: 14" x 14"
Inspiration: My inspiration for this piece was warmth. With this work, I wanted to convey the feeling of lying in the sun and its contrast with the feeling when you step out of it.

Artist's Name: Devon Cervine
Title: Douglas Creek
Medium: Acrylic Paint
Dimensions: 10" x 8"
Inspiration: “Douglas Creek” depicts a pool of water and a small waterfall in a dry and desert valley. My vibrant use of color creates a lively environment, giving the landscape life. In summer of 2023, my friends and I visited this pool to enjoy time together; Mr. Kimmel encouraged me to try new landscapes. To me, my painting represents the encouragement needed to try—and persevere with new things.

Artist's Name: Drew Heskett
Title: I Met a Man Who Wasn't There
Medium: Mixed Media
Dimensions: 18"x18"x2"
Inspiration: This piece is an exploration of my deceased grandfather and my process of learning more about him through the poetry he loved. Through the use of household materials, I sought to emulate a "detective board" look to convey the feeling of "sleuthing" in investigating a family member whom I never met.

Artist's Name: Dulce Alvarez
Title: Apples
Medium: Acrylic
Dimensions: 12" x 12"
Inspiration: My parents work in agriculture all my life, so it was common for my parents to bring apples home.

Artist's Name: Edwin Chicoine
Title: Justus
Medium: Oil Pastels
Inspiration: I find myself holding an image in my mind of the people I spend time with. Depending on their personality, I associate certain colors with them based on how I see them. As an artist, the best thing a portrait can achieve is to capture those colors and subsequently, the mood of that person. Drawing my friend, Justus, helped me understand him better as a human being. 

Artist's Name: Elizabeth Schacherl
Title: Candle Fairy
Medium: Oil Paint
Dimensions: 30" x 24"
Inspiration: This piece was made for fun. It’s the product of an idea that came to me on a whim when I was struggling to come up with something that I would enjoy creating. Those who view this can decide themselves what deeper meaning there is. By making this piece, the most important thing I learned was to keep things simple. Before, I had started two other paintings on the same canvas before erasing them and painting over. I liked planning them out and sketching thumbnails, however, they would end up being very detailed. Thinking about creating these complex paintings in a short amount of time ended up stressing me out and took the enjoyment out of the project. So, I had myself think up of something basic that could be finished within that time. If I were to do this piece again, I would plan better and use my time more wisely.

Artist's Name: Elizabeth Williams
Title: Hidden Within
Medium: Mixed Media
Dimensions: W: 5 ½ in L: 7 9/16 in D: 1 ½ in
Inspiration: I’ve always wanted to major in psychology, take a deep dive into the brain and understand human nature and teenagers. In my piece, I correlated things that I think most teenagers hide within themselves from others. I tried to find quotes that would fit the brain set, and feelings of a teenager nowadays. I tried to show the balancing we have to do between school, work, family, and having an outside life.

Artist's Name: Emiliana Newell
Title: Self-Portrait Birthday
Medium: Acrylic Paint
Dimensions: 20" x 16"
Inspiration: My piece is a portrait of myself on my 18th birthday. This birthday has its own symbolic attachments, and my feelings are in line with the classic dread, bewilderment, and excitement. I included in this painting various contrasting elements: organic strokes encircling a realistically-painted face, that same brightly-lit face on a shadowed body coated in colorful brush strokes.

Artist's Name: Emily Ackerman
Title: A Picture of Diligence
Medium: Acrylic Paint
Dimensions: 14" x 11"
Inspiration: A Picture of Diligence is a painting of my youngest sister, Peyton. Though she may not know what the word diligence means yet, she portrays it in everything she does. In the painting, she is focused while playing vet and taking care of her stuffed animal. Fixing up any tears or marks she sees, and making sure they are all cared for. It was so fun to be able to capture her doing what she loves and something that shows her diligent personality.

Artist's Name: Emily Lira
Title: Star Hands
Medium: Mixed Media
Dimensions: 14" x 14"
Inspiration: I have been a self-taught artist until the start of high school, and my biggest inspirations come from my surroundings. In my art piece, I took inspiration from a trip I had taken in summer with some of my friends. During this trip we posed our hands to shape a star. I took that moment, switched up the hand poses and used that in my piece. The background consisted of fond memories of my first summer living in Washington. This art is important to me not only for it moving onto bigger things, but this is the biggest recognition, I have ever gotten for my art, especially in school.

Artist's Name: Erik Rosas Higuera
Title: Vicissitude
Medium: Oil
Dimensions: 30" x 24"
Inspiration: My inspiration is the fear of being consumed by thoughts and trying to get away but falling in desperation.  I wanted to capture the feeling of fighting with mental health issues, and the hopelessness that comes along with it.

Artist's Name: Ethan Flansburg
Title: My World
Medium: Oil Pastels
Dimensions: 7.5" x 11.5"
Inspiration: Inspired by the creativity and chaotic nature of the human brain, my piece is a representation of the human mind, but on a piece of paper. My piece uses themes such as curiosity and creativity to make an abstract with aspects of movement for the viewer to interact with.

Artist's Name: Eunice Zefeirno
Title: Butterfly Feels
Medium: Mixed Media
Dimensions: 13" x 9 "
Inspiration: I was inspired by other artists drawing items coming out people’s heads and I depicted my experience in the same manner. The emotion of love can sometime cloud your perception, leading to overlook flaws in the person you love. This experience can result in becoming so deeply attached to someone that may not be the best person for you.

Artist's Name: Eva Chen
Title: All of Me
Medium: Acrylic Paint
Dimensions: 12" x 18"
Inspiration: My piece, “All Of Me” is as it says, all of me. Me in many faces, in a setting I am very familiar with. At home, at my desk, drawing. Completely submerged into my art. It represents how every part of me, my identity, is drawn out when I do what I love- art.

Artist's Name: Eva Wegeleben
Title: My Cat, Kraken, as the Kraken
Medium: Digital Art
Dimensions: 8" x 11"
Inspiration: This piece is based on my cat Karl Hans Fluffy Paws Von Kraken Wegeleben. When we first got him from the shelter he was meant to be slowly introduced to our other pets. However, he escaped his confinement and went after our big dog. He walked right up to her and smacked her in the nose. My Papaw started the nickname, announcing every time Hans came into the room, "Release the Kraken!" 

Artist's Name: Evan Christensen
Title: An Unbreakable Bond
Medium: Acrylic Paint
Dimensions: 11" x 14"
Inspiration: I wanted to capture young, protective, ignorance. The young deer is shown laying next to the skull of an older deer, that appears weathered. The skull has been there for a while, yet the deer still continues to visit it and lay with it. It feels safe with the skull, though the deer he once knew is actually dead. Our minds tend to block out distressing relations, like death. We deny loss, especially as children. As this was probably one of my first large paintings, i think there are a lot of things I learned - to trust the process, go with your gut, to not fear the boundaries of art -- there aren't any. If I were to do this painting again, I think my process would remain roughly the same, subconsciously however, I believe I'd still do things differently like changing the length and size of my brush strokes, changing the flow.

Artist's Name: Finley Sicilia
Title: Nostalgia
Medium: Clay
Inspiration: I was inspired by my surroundings and bringing them to life. The focus of this piece is realism which I developed through the use of texture and form, with the addition of glaze, to emphasize important aspects of each piece and further develop contrast and balance within the composition.

Artist's Name: Gabriella Wilton
Title: Blue Trout
Medium: Ceramic
Dimensions: 3.8x5x3.5
Inspiration: I chose to do a rainbow trout in a blue monochrome scale, using sculpting tools to make the fish itself and rub-off glazing techniques to color and create depth on the fish.

Artist's Name: Gretchen Bona
Title: Fishing for Bones and Souls
Medium: Acrylic Paint
Dimensions: 15" X 11"
Inspiration: The animal I chose to feature in my artwork is the Harbor Seal. I wanted to incorporate the movement of the seals, they are such graceful creatures underwater, I placed the skeletons in a variety of positions and perspectives to bring the movement ‘to life’. The conservation issue I chose to highlight is over-fishing which diminishes the main source of food for harbor seals.  The light outline around the bones is what I used to incorporate the idea that they used to be alive, moving, breathing animals, but now are only bones.

Artist's Name: Hadlee Zuercher
Title: Petrichor (the pleasant smell after a small warm rain)
Medium: Mixed Media
Inspiration: When you look at this piece, you see a woman being consumed by overgrowth, mushrooms, and moss; Feeling buried. But that's just the surface. This shows you that you can choose what you surround yourself with.

Artist's Name: Hailey Bundy
Title: Sea Nettle
Medium: Digital Art
Dimensions: 4080 px x 3072 px
Inspiration: Jellyfish are very unique animals, and I thought these were really pretty.