2025 Art Contest Winners

K-2 Winner: George  
Age: 6
Grade: Kindergarten  

“I like to touch water and swim. My favorite colors are green and purple.”

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

“This artwork shows a touch of art with the big dipper and a glowing eclipse. It reminds us to see beauty in the little things and how they comme together to create something magical.”

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

“This is my art of a leaf. I made it out of a coffie filter and sharpies, and I used many diffrent colors and textures.”

3-5 Winner: Uthman
Age: 10
Grade: 4th 

“The world is like a big jigsaw puzzle, and everyone helps put it together. In my art, I made a puzzle of the world, but I left one piece missing. That piece is yours and mine because we each have a part to play in making the world better. There are crayons on the table in my picture because they show the choices we get to make in life. Just like crayons, we get to decide what colors we want to add to the world. I used textures in my art to show that life is full of different feelings and experiences. I outlined the puzzle with hot glue to make it pop, and I used melted crayons to show how we can bring a “touch of art” and our own special mark to the world. My art reminds us that when we touch and look closely at the world around us, we can see how each small piece is important in shaping our world.”

3-5 Runner-up: Raiyyaan 
Age: 8
Grade: 3rd

“My drawing shows how art can be full of life and energy! The phoenix is a bird that is reborn from its own ashes & bright orange & yellow colors make it look like a burning fire. I used these colors to make the bird look powerful & strong, just like art can make feelings & ideas come alive. When you see the drawing, you can almost feel the heat & see the bird rising up. It is like art is telling a story without words, & that is what make it so special. A Touch of Art is about showing emotions & ideas in a way that makes you feel something & this phoenix does that by looking so bold & bright.”

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

“Art has texture, and so does love.”

6-8 Winner: Alaina
Age: 13
Grade: 8th

“As my car pulls up in the rocky driveway of my great grandpa’s farm, I can see the vibrant colors and fun that awaits. From riding around the farm on a Kubota side-by-side, to seeing the vast green woods, watching the cows and donkeys roam the pasture, and fishing under a shady tree at one of his ponds. What more could I ask for as my great grandpa lifts me off my feet to give me a big hug.”

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

“What do you imagine when someone says the word “art”? Architecture isn’t always the first concept that comes to mind, but landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, and the Las Vegas Strip challenge that perception. Architects are artists who craft more than just buildings – they shape the landscapes we navigate, blending function with beauty. These structures inspire us, with their shapes, colors, and emotional impact. Every building is a carefully designed piece, woven into the fabric of a community and bringing people together. The varied patterns, shapes, and colors create a “tapestry of shapes, colors, and textures”. As a girl walks through the city, she sees beauty in the ordinary, from the interplay of shadows to the unexpected colors and textures around her. Art is not just found in museums, but in the urban landscape. The curves of the road and the rigidity of buildings evoke different emotions and perspectives. Through colored pencils, acrylic paint, and alcohol markers, I aimed to bring the city to life, showing how art is everywhere, whether a person chooses to truly see it or not.”

6-8 Runner-up: Esmeralda
Age: 
Grade: 8th

“A touch of light. Sometimes that’s all it takes to feel a sense of warmth that brings things alive. A brightness that lights up our face, our life. This which brings a feeling of peace and comfort. A sense of relief, and a sense of happiness. It’s a feeling of finding joy and passion in the things we love most and where we find that peace in. That is a feeling of art, a touch of art.”

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

“My graphite pencil work is entitled “Forever Moment.” I depict myself and my friend, who is also my cross-country teammate. In the drawing, my arms are wrapped over his shoulders as he carries me piggyback-style. It captures the precious lightheartedness of our runs together. It is not just about the physical touch but rather a symbol of a deeper emotional connection. You can see it in our radiant smiles.

We can up lift each other through our touch. We can challenge each other, push each other, and comfort each other when we need it the most.

When I run along the Chicago Lakefront, I feel more alive than ever. I can feel the harsh sunlight that strikes us and the soft creases of our jackets. I’m surrounded by my friends who match each of my strides. I take it all in. These small sensory details are truly forever moments.”

9-12 Runner-up: Maryam
Age: 15
Grade: 9th

“My artwork represents the close connection between creativity & discovery of yourself. The girl in the painting buried in her canvas, reflects my own journey of seeking inspiration. The swirling auras of color meant to reflect the emotions the girl goes through – reds & pinks to represent anger & hatred, blues, purples & blacks to represent sadness & desperation & yellow & white to show joy & happiness at the finished painting. These vibrant strokes, made by my fingers symbolize a very personal & noticeable nature of creating – a reminder that art is not something we make but something we touch & are touched by.

In this moment, the girl is so focused on recreating what she sees that she overlooks the beauty unfolding around her, mirroring the way we often seek inspiration from the outside but the true magic lies right there, within our reach. This painting represents a Touch of Art – the way art is not just seen or created, but felt, shaping us just as much as we shape it. It is a celebration of the small personal touches that transform inspiration into creation & creation into a reflection of the soul.”

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

“Throughout the earlier years of my life, and ever since that one medieval fair, horses have always had a spot in my heart. But because of sports, and my parents believing it was “just a horse phase” I wasn’t able to ride horses at all. So instead I expressed my love for horses through art. Horses became my touch of art in my world, they became my motivation to continue and branch out into other mediums and topics in art too. They gave me inspiration to create, and they gave me the inspiration to paint this very painting as well. For this reason, I want the onlooker to focus on the horses rather than the background. I’ve painted the background to look muted, and honestly boring, because even with a touch of art, it can make the world so much more brighter.”