Shawn Graham (left) and Donnie Quales (right), Tennessee High School's art teachers with Dakari Wheeler (center), winner of "Best of Show"
ArtEx, an art competition for high school students, has announced its winners. Steven Reeves, a professional artist, served as juror.
Dakari Wheeler from Tennessee High School won Best in Show for “Manta Nata.”
Other winners by category include the following.
Acrylic (freshman and sophomore): first place, Bella Clark, “Meet Me in the Woods,” Abingdon High School; second place: Emma Mittas, “Tranquil Beauty, Abingdon High School; third place, Jade Booker, “Vanity and Vengeance,” Virginia High School; and honorable mention, Charli Carpenter, “Dog Paddle,” Virginia High School.
Acrylic (junior and senior): first place, Joan Weddington. “My Eyes are Up Here,” Tennessee High School; second place, Haley Lunsford, “Daphne’s Lament,” Abingdon High School; third place, Kaylee Vasquez, “Mushroom Vector,” Dobyns Bennett High School; and honorable mention, Chloe Shelley, “Sweet Tangerine,” Tennessee High School.
Color Pencil and Pastels (freshmen and sophomore): first place, Emma Nounou, “Joah,” West Ridge High School; second place, Gracie Thompson, “Leaf Cutter,” West Ridge High School; third place, Metzy Balisteri, “Reflection of Silence,” Virginia High School; and honorable mentions, Charlie Carpenter, “Eudaimonia,” Virginia High School and Kymora Thomas, “Fruit Bowl,” Dobyns-Bennett High School.
Color Pencil and Pastels (junior and senior): first place, Autumn Selfridge, “Despite the Darkness,” Virginia High School; second place, Olivia Yates, “Feathered Friends,” West Ridge High School; third place, Emilia Dillman, “La Mariposa,” Virginia High School; honorable mentions, Keila Bowles, “Grieving Innocence,” West Ridge High School; Emily Howard, “Beauty Biology,” Tennessee High School; Holly Vicars, “Set Fire to the Sea,” West Ridge High School; and Ariana Gripper,” Still Life,” Dobyns-Bennett High School.
Ink/Markers (freshman and sophomore): first place, Adriana Anderson, “Owl Lady,” Tennessee High School; and second place, Melannie Palacios, “Dreaming Wild,” Abingdon High School.
Ink /Markers (junior and senior): first place, Hannah “Grace” Estes, “Black Widow,” Dobyns-Bennett High School; second place, Makayla Ellis, “On Display,” West Ridge High School; third place, Jade Raines, “Displaying Stolidity,” Patrick Henry High.
Mixed Media (freshman and sophomore): first place, Laci Counts, “Marmoris,” Patrick Henry High School; second place, Emma Taylor, “The Universe Inside Her,” Virginia High School; third place, Riley Hicks, “Dream Home,” Sullivan East.
Mixed Media (junior and senior): first place, Alexa Jones, “Analysis Paralysis,” West Ridge High; second place, Sophie Simpson, “Forest,” Dobyns-Bennett High School; third place, Kevin “Eli” Hawkins, “Addiction: Fearful Fauna,” Dobyns-Bennett High; and honorable mentions, Juliet Barton, “Abandonment,” Dobyns-Bennett High; Emilia Dillman, “Journey of the Kohaku,” Virginia High School; and Ava Autry, “Zelda,” Dobyns-Bennett High School.
Oil (freshman and sophomore): first place, Metzy Balisteri, “Serenity,” Virginia High School.
Oil (junior and senior): first place, Dakari Wheeler, “Aether,” Tennessee High School; second place, Chloe Shelley, “Game Night,” Tennessee High School; third place, Joan Weddington, “An Everyday Joy,” Tennessee High School.
Pencil / Charcoal (freshman and sophomore): first place, Ryann Ingram, “Portrait of Adams,” Dobyns-Bennett; second place, Waylon Daniels, “Groot,” Patrick Henry High; third place, Bailey Bebber, “Celebration,” Sullivan East.
Pencil/Charcoal (junior and senior): first place, Shelby Perry, “After Hours,” Sullivan East; second place, Isabella Marlow, “Lace,” Dobyns-Bennett; third place, Makayla Leonard, “Service Dog,” Tennessee High; and honorable mentions, Garret Widner, “A Peaceful Night,” Abingdon High; Emilia Dillman, “Mystery of the Night,” Virginia High; Destiny Wilson, “My Dog Beans,” West Ridge; Keila Bowles, “Evolving,” West Ridge High; and Sienna Shanks, “Ryan,” Sullivan East.
Watercolor Gouache (freshman and sophomore): first place, Summer Brooks, “Starry,” Patrick Henry; second place, Jade Booker, “Behind Closed Doors,” Virginia High; and third place, Analynn Brittingham, “Self Portrait,” Dobyns-Bennett.
Watercolor Gouache (junior/senior): first place, Alyssa Lindsey, “Ancient Heartthrob,” West Ridge; second place, Claire Hawkins, “Postcard from Paradise,” Tennessee High; third place, Yejin Cho, “I&I,” Abingdon High; honorable mention, Autuym Selfridge, “Cheat Day,” Virginia High.
3D/Sculpture (freshman/sophomore): first place, Alex Stewart, “Strawberry Cake,” Dobyns-Bennett; second place, Brynlee Cosby, “Magazine Bowl,” Sullivan East; third place, Jade Booker, “Cosmic Totem,” Virginia High; honorable mention, Elaina Winters, “Wooden Cupcake,” Patrick Henry; Michael Jenkins, “Frankenstein,” Patrick Henry and Isabella “Izzy” Stalnaker, “Flower Box,” Dobyns-Bennett.
3D/Sculpture (junior/senior): first place, Brayden Eagan, “Vaunted,” Dobyns-Bennett; second place, Clover Thacker, “Upcycled Bowl,” Sullivan East and third place, Cameron Swinney, “Four Swirled Vase,” Dobyns-Bennett.
