Wood County student artists recognized
This piece, entitled “Daydreaming” and created with oil paint and Posca pen, by Parkersburg South High School junior Anna Ware was unanimously selected as Best in Show at the Wood County Schools Art Expressions Exhibit which wrapped up with a reception Sunday at the Parkersburg Art Center. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
Jefferson Elementary fifth-grader Ja’Vontae Triplett looks at his self-portrait, which won first place for his grade in the Wood County Schools Art Expressions Exhibit. While most elementary schools in the county are served by the Art Cart program, Jefferson has an art teacher whose students’ work was on display at the show, which wrapped up Sunday at the Parkersburg Art Center. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
Kristina Riser, left, takes a photo of her children, Jefferson Elementary fourth-grader Kara Riser and Hamilton Middle School seventh-grader Braydon Riser next to Braydon’s marker piece, “Outer Space,” during a closing reception for the Wood County Schools Art Expressions Exhibit Sunday at the Parkersburg Art Center. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
Artwork on display at the Wood County Schools Art Expressions Exhibit, which closed Sunday at the Parkersburg Art Center, included “Plead,” left, a colored pencil drawing by Parkersburg South High School freshman Olivia McVey, who won first place for her grade level. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
Not all of the displays at the Wood County Schools Art Expressions Exhibit, which wrapped up with a reception Sunday at the Parkersburg Art Center, were two-dimensional. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
This piece, entitled “Daydreaming” and created with oil paint and Posca pen, by Parkersburg South High School junior Anna Ware was unanimously selected as Best in Show at the Wood County Schools Art Expressions Exhibit which wrapped up with a reception Sunday at the Parkersburg Art Center. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
Jefferson Elementary fifth-grader Ja’Vontae Triplett looks at his self-portrait, which won first place for his grade in the Wood County Schools Art Expressions Exhibit. While most elementary schools in the county are served by the Art Cart program, Jefferson has an art teacher whose students’ work was on display at the show, which wrapped up Sunday at the Parkersburg Art Center. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
Kristina Riser, left, takes a photo of her children, Jefferson Elementary fourth-grader Kara Riser and Hamilton Middle School seventh-grader Braydon Riser next to Braydon’s marker piece, “Outer Space,” during a closing reception for the Wood County Schools Art Expressions Exhibit Sunday at the Parkersburg Art Center. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
Artwork on display at the Wood County Schools Art Expressions Exhibit, which closed Sunday at the Parkersburg Art Center, included “Plead,” left, a colored pencil drawing by Parkersburg South High School freshman Olivia McVey, who won first place for her grade level. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
Not all of the displays at the Wood County Schools Art Expressions Exhibit, which wrapped up with a reception Sunday at the Parkersburg Art Center, were two-dimensional. (Photo by Evan Bevins)
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PARKERSBURG -- Artists from throughout Wood County Schools were recognized Sunday with an awards reception wrapping up the 2023 Art Expressions Exhibit.
Art teachers from throughout the district selected nearly 100 pieces created by students over the last school year to be displayed at the Parkersburg Art Center. Three judges -- local artists Lavana Lemley and Emily Drennon and retired art teacher Joan Palmer -- selected the top three for each grade and unanimously chose Parkersburg South junior Anna Ware's oil paint and Posca pen piece "Daydreaming" as Best in Show.
"It's like our county championship for art," said Kay Mason, Jackson Middle School art teacher and county art liaison. "The art teachers would select the pieces from their classes that just showed outstanding student work (and) creativity."
Parkersburg South freshman Olivia McVey said she was surprised her colored pencil work, "Plead," was chosen for first place among ninth-grade entries.
"I describe it as like a soul that is trapped," said McVey, adding it was neat to see her work displayed at the Art Center.
Jefferson Elementary Center fifth-grader Ja'Vontae Triplett said he got the idea for his water color self-portrait -- with a few extra eyes and other unusual features -- after watching a video online.
"(The artist) had like eyeballs everywhere," he said, adding that he was "pretty excited" when he learned he'd won first place.
Kristina Riser was impressed with her son's marker image of planets and stars entitled "Outer Space," but Braydon Riser, a seventh-grader at Hamilton Middle School, was a bit more critical of his own work.
"It looks better from a distance, but I still kind of like it," he said.
Braydon said he likes to draw space or tornadoes because "they're more not really discussed topics."
The complete list of award winners for the exhibit follows.
12th Grade
¯ First: Hayden Coplin
¯ Second: Liv Gibbs
¯ Third: Luna Spears
11th Grade
¯ First: Aleta Rader
¯ Second: Anna Amrine
¯ Third: Clayton Small
10th Grade
¯ First: Jules Hyde
¯ Second: Alexis Gibbs
¯ Third: Tobias
Ninth Grade
¯ First: Olivia McVey
¯ Second: Kyialyn Wilkening
¯ Third: Kendall Smith
Eighth Grade
¯ First: Lexi McKinney
¯ Second: Izzy Earley and Chloe Lesher
¯ Third: Grace Morris
Seventh Grade
¯ First: Willow Richmond, Emma Wirght and Brooklyn Bell
¯ Second: Emily Williams
¯ Third: Ezekiel Jones
Sixth Grade
¯ First: Christian Bibbee
¯ Second: Brayden Owens
¯ Third: Sophie Yoke
Fifth Grade
¯ First: Ja'Vontae Triplett
¯ Second: Gabriel King
¯ Third: Kieth Saunders
Fourth Grade
¯ First: Betty Nguyen
¯ Second: Leland McElroy
¯ Third: Jypsee Adkins
Third Grade
¯ First: Giana Fuller
¯ Second: La'Dell Siegrist
¯ Third: Zoey Fluharty
Second Grade
¯ First: Megyn Townsend
¯ Second: Haley Boyles