Notre Dame artists top last year's record for annual art awards sponsored by Scholastic. All award-winning art posted below.
Last night, in a ceremony held at the Detroit Film Theatre in the Detroit Institute of Arts, Notre Dame student-artists were honored alongside hundreds of fellow high school artists in the area who earned accolades in the Southeastern Michigan Region of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition.
Sandy LewAllen, Notre Dame’s art chair, said she was very proud to watch the NDP artists accept the school-record 27 Scholastic Art Awards on stage at the DFT.
She added that Notre Dame student-artists Anna Madison and Gretchen Altenberger received additional scholarship awards in last night’s ceremony. “Also, congratulations to Margaret Henige and Caitlin Fitzgerald, who had their artwork appear in the Scholastic Arts special publication that was distributed last night,” LewAllen said.
A public exhibit of all the artwork, which has been mounted at Detroit’s College for Creative Studies, also opened last night. The exhibit will run for about two weeks.
The 27 pieces of art by Notre Dame student artists that earned awards from the Southeastern Michigan Region of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition represents a new record for the school.
More than 5,000 pieces of art from the region were entered in this year's competition and NDP earned 13 Gold Keys, the highest possible distinction in the annual art awards, which was started in the early 20th century by New York City-based Scholastic Corporation. In addition, seven Silver Keys and seven Honorable Mentions were earned by Notre Dame student-artists.
LewAllen told the students and their parents what an awesome and prestigious honor it is to receive such accolades.
“This year tops the number of Scholastic art awards ever won at Notre Dame Prep,” she said. “I am so proud of all of our art students and their efforts!”
Last year, Notre Dame students brought home 17 awards in the competition, which was the most for the school up to that time.
Notre Dame’s Gold Key winners will now be submitted for national adjudication by luminaries in the visual and literary arts, some of whom are past award recipients. National Gold and Silver Medal winning students and their teachers receive national recognition, and are invited to attend the exhibit in New York and award ceremony at Carnegie Hall.
Scholastic’s Art & Writing Awards have an impressive legacy dating back to 1923. Over the years, the awards have grown to become the longest-running, most prestigious program for creative teens in the U.S., and the nation’s largest source of scholarships for creative young artists and writers. A noteworthy roster of past winners includes Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Robert Redford, Joyce Carol Oates, Stephen King and John Updike.
All of Notre Dame's winning artwork is posted below list of student winners.
In alphabetical order, Notre Dame’s 2016 Scholastic Art Award winners are:
1. Gretchen Altenberger, GOLD Key: Drawing: “Enigmatic”
2. Gretchen Altenberger, GOLD Key: Digital Art: “The Precipices Embrace“
3. Gretchen Altenberger, HONORABLE Mention: Drawing: “Sophrosyne“
4. Nadia Burbank, GOLD Key: Drawing: “Elsina“
5. Nadia Burbank, SILVER Key: Drawing: “Elsina And Karen“
6. Caitlin Fitzgerald, GOLD Key: Drawing: “Trooper“
7. Alexandria Garland, HONORABLE Mention: Drawing: “Self Portrait“
8. Margaret Henige, GOLD Key: Photography: “I will be there ‘til you need me in your life, like plastic covered furniture.“
9. Margaret Henige, GOLD Key: Photography: “disquiet in reflective surfaces“
10. Michael Ignagni, HONORABLE: Mention: Sculpture: “Baroque Art Deco Figure“
11. Gabrielle Jacoby, GOLD Key: Photography: “Moving Away from Youth“
12. Gabrielle Jacoby, SILVER Key: Drawing: “Floating Freely“
13. Kate Joslin, SILVER Key: Drawing: “Petey“
14. Sabrina Kloss, GOLD Key: Painting: “Fading Light“
15. Sabrina Kloss, SILVER Key: Photography: “Dusty Glow“
16. Sabrina Kloss, HONORABLE Mention: “Photography Lost“
17. Anna Madison, GOLD Key: Drawing: “Dog1v
18. Anna Madison, GOLD Key: Drawing: “Anna’s Dog2“
19. Anna Madison, GOLD Key: Drawing: “Mom“
20. Anna Madison, SILVER Key: Drawing: “Self Portrait“
21. Jennifer Redoutey, HONORABLE Mention: Drawing: “Self Portrait“
22. Mary Riss, SILVER Key: Drawing: “Charcoal Motorcycle“
23. Mary Riss, HONORABLE Mention: Drawing: “Graphite Self Portrait“
24. Mary Riss, HONORABLE Mention: Photography: “Abandoning Youth“
25. Charles Wenaas, GOLD Key: Drawing: “Self Portrait“
26. Charles Wenaas, GOLD Key: Drawing: “Chuck’s Cat“
27. Charles Wenaas, SILVER Key: Drawing: “Self Portrait“
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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." The Marist Fathers and Brothers sponsor NDPMA's Catholic identity and manages its educational program. Notre Dame is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.