2022 Art Contest Winners

K-2 Winner:
Diana
Age: 7
Grade: 2nd

“My painting is about how to survive by having kindness, being brave, strong, smart, and have a lot of love.”

K-2 Runner-up:
Sebastian
Age: 6
Grade: 1st

“Happiness: This piece is a self portrait with my puppy. I enjoy walking my dog during sunset. After playing for a while, we get to rest on the grass. These simple things helps me get through my day – today. This is my way to enjoy life during Covid.”

K-2 Runner-up:
Emilia
Age: 7
Grade: 2nd

“A nurse helps you if you are sick. And if your body is not working right. Or if you broke a bone. And if you need a surgery. And will help you get no Covid-19.”

3-5 Winner:
Daleia
Age: 11
Grade: 5th

“Hello, my name is Daleia Muhammad-Walker. The reason I choose the drawing I did is because nature is the reason why I survive. Nature is what keeps me pushing. That’s why I choose my drawing.”

3-5 Runner-up:
Waynetta
Age: 9
Grade: 4th

“I think the theme “Survival Through Self Expression” relates to my expression because I am a young Black Girl and it’s a daily constant that I must go through to survive in America. Black People lives mater is important to keep repeating because I feel some people don’t think that. The Butterfly represents me as an adult because my survival and will to live will be as beautiful as a Butterfly!"

3-5 Runner-up:
Esabel
Age: 10
Grade: 5th

“My art relates to the theme of survival because the colors in my art show hope, the hope that my mom, dad, brother, and I had to hold onto when my aunt and uncle and more died due to Covid-19. It sucked, but I got through it with my friends. They reminded me that I wasn’t alone and that they will always be there with me and that is how my artwork relates to the theme of survival.”

6-8 Winner: BEST IN SHOW
Elizabeth
Age: 13
Grade: 8th

“When composing the ideas for my art piece, I first thought of what did survival of self-expression mean to me. The first image in my mind was how in this pandemic, many people coped and survived through their own self-expression. The gray tones used for the woman in the drawing set the mood of how I felt and how many felt during part of the pandemic. The striking red gladiolus flowers growing beneath the woman’s hand/arm symbolizes strength that was hidden but is now growing and beginning to show. The yellow and orange marigold flower represents a light within a person, with the colors meaning positive energy and optimism. That optimism is what many people found in self-expression and that would be in different emotions of yourself shown in many forms.”

6-8 Runner-up:
Hayden
Age: 13
Grade: 8th

“My art work is mostly about looking on the bright side of things mentally. We all have moments in our lives where we don’t think that we are good enough or we can’t achieve our goals. But when you take a moment to not focus on all bad in the and fix your mind-set, the colors of beauty will become clear. So when you are in a middle of a storm, take out your umbrella, and you might just find a rainbow.”

6-8 Runner-up:
Sophia
Age: 13
Grade: 8th

“My painting shows my survival of a quarantine and the pandemic. It expresses my feelings and emotions towards everything that has happened. The red sky and grey color palette showing the loneliness and separation. The pink mask being a literal symbol of the event.”

9-12 Winner:
Vadipta
Age: 15
Grade: 10th

“This piece is my rendition of how an individual survives in a society. The black and white mask represents the idea that society is built on the foundations of right and wrong. However, the person behind the peeling mask remains in color to depict their complexity, and to show how their thoughts and actions contribute to making them unique. We all are granted the freedom of expression, yet, as individuals we are constantly battling with the dilemma of choosing the most appropriate form of this freedom that lets us fit into society while simultaneously letting us remain true to ourselves.”

9-12 Runner-up:
Gage
Age: 16
Grade: 11th

“To me, surviving through self-expression is about being true to yourself even if it may not seem very “normal.” Being able to express myself through my creativity, such as the art that I produce, or even the clothes that I wear is how I survive in our very diverse world. I hope my piece inspires people to think outside the box and “Crush the Norm.”

9-12 Runner-up:
Surya
Age: 17
Grade: 12th

“I created this piece at home during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was an uncertain time, but for me, it was also a period of inquiry and exploration when I discovered new forms of self-expression. Solitude provided me with the opportunity to reflect and learn about myself and the world around me – I became interested in using the technology at my disposal to create digital art that reflects on cultural conditions.  

“To each their own” portrays our collective experience of the pandemic. In a period marked by political polarization, social isolation, and general unrest, many like myself turned to self-expression to survive, sharing our art, writing, photos, and videos with one another. Figures in my piece are physically secluded and attending to their own devices yet are part of a colorful, connected landscape, which represents how we connect with one another through self-expression, even during the most difficult times.”