CENTRAL NEW YORK - Teen artists, from 14 Central New York counties and more than 90 junior and senior high schools, submitted thousands of their best works of art for national and local recognition in the 2023 CNY Scholastic Art Awards. Sponsored by M&T Bank and hosted by Onondaga Community College, this year’s award-winning entries will be on exhibit through early March.
Earlier this month, volunteer judges-professional artists, educators and photographers-poured over the 4,000 individual and 102 portfolio entries to select pieces within 17 categories. Over 1,155 works were awarded. A special awards ceremony, held at SRC Arena/OCC campus on Jan. 17, celebrates the Gold Key-first place selections for entry in national competition, as well as local awards, cash prizes, and special recognition.
Some 1,350 pieces, that include Gold Key, Silver Key and Honorable Mention winners, are on daily exhibition at the Whitney Applied Technology Center at Onondaga Community College through March 3. In addition, the Everson Museum of Art, in Syracuse, will host a selection of student works March 11 through April 9.
The pieces identified as best within their categories will compete on the national level, with results announced in the spring. Last year the Central New York Region produced 22 national winners. The Scholastic Art Awards program was founded by Scholastic, Inc. in 1923. It is the largest annual student art competition in America and the CNY region has participated for well over 70 years. The CNY Art Council, a corps of area art teachers, volunteer countless hours to coordinate this region’s program.
In addition to OCC and M&T Bank’s ongoing support, for a combined 38 years, the CNY Art Council has many award sponsors who include: Light Work, Rudy Hellmann Photography, Tracy L. Haylor Memorial Fund, Syracuse Cultural Workers, Clayscapes, Independent Potters’ Association of CNY, The Print Hub Syracuse, The Art Store, S.I. Newhouse Visual Communications, Purcell Construction Corp., The Sage Scholars Educational Foundation and OCC Foundation.
Honorable Mention: Dalton Bramer (2), Autumn Kellar, Anna Lowe, Samantha Moran, Christian Morrow, Oliver Randall, Emerson Widowski.
Silver Key: Alexander Bell, photography; Ryleah Breckenridge, photography; Arlin Russo, digital art.
Honorable Mention: Sage Byrne, Jackson Collier, JJ “Juliet” Fyler, Hailey Szyikowski, Faith Thomas (2), Natasia Worley.