In March every year since 1994, Pima County Public Library exhibits artwork from local youth artists at the Joel Valdez Main Library. The High School Art Invitational is online only this year, and this year 21 art and photography teachers responded to our call and submitted over 100 images and videos of student work.
Here’s the link to the Flickr album with the full display.
While the event is more about highlighting the creativity, talent and effort of local youth, a prize to the winning teacher’s set of classrooms was awarded. A jury of artists, librarians and arts professionals looked at the art and the winning classrooms will get a delivery of fresh baked cookies for the students and $300 worth of art supplies for the teacher. The winning Film and TV classrooms will receive $100 worth of supplies.
Winning Classrooms
The winning classrooms for the photography and art category this year are from Flowing Well’s High School, taught by Lisa Sekulich. The jury applauds the work she’s done to get the students where they are artistically and admires the range of themes, originality and creativity in the work and the technical skill of the students. View the winning art on Flickr, and you can see six of her students’ artwork below.
The winning Film and TV classrooms are from Walden Grove High School, taught by Jorgiana Jake. The jury appreciated the theme of the entries and the creativity of the students. View the winning videos here or see below.
The arts are powerful and help youth make sense of the world. Supporting youth art means a lot to us here at the library and we recognize the creativity and effort of all who participated.
Here are the winners' art pieces
Click on an image to see it larger.
Coequal by Jazmin SCoequal by Jazmin S.
Medium: Colored pencil and graphite on paper
Teacher: Lisa Sekulich
School: Flowing Wells High School
Together at Last by Alexander GTogether at Last by Alexander G.
Medium: Scratchboard
Teacher: Lisa Sekulich
School: Flowing Wells High School
Coalesce by Shayna RCoalesce by Shayna R.
Medium: Scratchboard
Teacher: Lisa Sekulich
School: Flowing Wells High School
Figures by Julisa GFigures by Julisa G.
Medium: Graphite and white charcoal on paper
Teacher: Lisa Sekulich
School: Flowing Wells High School
Tooth Fairies by Zoe B & Isabella HTooth Fairies by Zoe B. & Isabella H.
Medium: Clay, resin, snake skin, mouse bones, paper
Teacher: Lisa Sekulich
School: Flowing Wells High School
All Eyes on Me by Julisa GAll Eyes on Me by Julisa G.
Medium: Acrylic paint on canvas
Teacher: Lisa Sekulich
School: Flowing Wells High School
Here are the winners’ videos
Click to watch the videos on Flickr.
We’d like to thank the following teachers who took the time to participate:
| Lisa Sekulich | Flowing Wells High School |
| Kala Phelps | Tanque Verde High School |
| Curtis Dutiel | Desert View High School |
| Danielle Rutherford | Sahuarita High School |
| Cristina Lieberman | Marana High School |
| James Bourland | Tucson High Magnet School |
| Elizabeth McCowin | Walden Grove High School |
| Ben Koss | Empire High School |
| Amy Wood | Sky Islands High School |
| Ukiah Hoy | Cholla High School |
| Kalen Gillingham | Academy of Tucson High School |
| Karen Mitchell | Palo Verde Magnet High School |
| Betina Fink | Salpointe Catholic High School |
| Cassandra Thomas | Desert Christian High School |
| Kaylee Farnolli | Sonoran Science Academy Tucson |
| Tracy Brown | Walden Grove High School |
| William Lewis | Immaculate Heart High School |
| Cam Tran | Presidio School |
| Jorgiana Jake | Walden Grove High School |
| Derek Marshall | Sahuarita High School |
| Traci Kelly | Desert View High School |
