**This post was originally published on March 12, 2024. It was updated on April 1 to reflect that additional artwork by Oliver Ames students was recognized or received higher recognition due to an error in scoring by the awarding organization.**
Superintendent Lisha Cabral, Oliver Ames High School Principal Kelly Cavanaugh and Art Department Chair Kristyn Shea are pleased to announce that multiple Oliver Ames students have been recognized as part of this year’s Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and in the Massachusetts Amazing Emerging Artist Recognitions Exhibit.
“I am so thrilled to see all of these students recognized for their hard work, skill and creativity,” Art Department Chair Shea said. “They are well-deserving of these prestigious awards and I’m proud of them for their time and commitment that led them to these achievements.”
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is the nation’s longest-running recognition program for creative teens. Students in grades 7-12 (ages 13 and up) can apply in 28 categories of art and writing. All entries are considered for Gold Key, Silver Key, Honorable Mention and other recognitions.
The Massachusetts region of the program is presented by The Boston Globe and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University (SMFA).
Oliver Ames’ artists received 30 placements, with four Gold Keys, seven Silver Keys and 19 Honorable Mention awards. Gold Key-awarded entries are automatically considered for national awards, including Gold Medal, Silver Medal and scholarship awards.
Gold Key Works
The Oliver Ames students who received Gold Key awards, along with the artist’s statement for their piece(s), are as follows:
- Isabelle Domenico for “Carpool” (created with graphite pencils)
“This composition is inspired by my grandfather. He has always shown a great appreciation for my artwork, and I created this piece in respect of him and his love for biking. I wanted to focus on capturing a happy, yet fleeting, moment in time.” - Naomi Marcus for “Untangled” (created with colored pencil, watercolor, and chalk pastel)
“This piece is meant to speak to the sense of nostalgia attached to our family heirlooms and trinkets. The telephone I depicted conveys the comfort and familiarity of those special objects.” - Eesha Merchia for “Blue Hills” (created with colored Pencil and gel pen)”I created this piece as an homage to my dad and his love for the outdoors and adventure. The jacket depicted in my art is a staple piece that he wears whenever we go hiking together and symbolizes the good values he has passed to me throughout my life.”
- Ava Vieira for “Backstage” (created with graphite pencils)”I created this piece to portray how my love for art takes another form as dance. It shows the work that happens on and off the stage, to make a ballet piece come to life.”
Silver Key Works
The Oliver Ames students who received Silver Key awards, along with the artist’s statement for their piece(s), are as follows:
- Isabel Domenico for “Foot Traffic” (created with colored pencil, pen, charcoal, chalk pastel)”‘Foot Traffic’ captures a moment in a crowded school hallway, feet shuffling, stuck behind a slow walker; each shoe representing each unique individual. This piece portrays the fleeting nature of high school. For the composition, I utilized four mediums, colored pencil, oil pastel, pen, and watercolor, all joined together to capture the vibrancies of the shoes against a bland school hallway.”
- Sammy Johnson for “Oak Street” (created with watercolor and pen)”Oak Street beach on Cape Cod is my favorite place on Earth, so this piece pays tribute to the memories of every summer I have spent there.”
- Sammy Johnson for a portfolio, entitled “Nostalgia”
“I wanted to explore the nostalgia that can be associated with everyday life. Whether it is sitting in traffic or braiding someone’s hair, my goal is to commemorate the small and major moments in life. Through a variety of materials, I utilized differing points of view, light sources, and settings to create interesting, yet meaningful outlooks on everyday occurrences. The presence of any human form throughout my pieces creates a personal feeling within the piece; it is like a personal insight into someone else’s life at a specific moment in time.” - Abby Holmes for “Two-Bit” (created with colored pencil)
“‘Two-Bit’ is centered around my tortoise, Two-Bit, as the title suggests. The piece highlights the up close intricacies of animals and objects that we see in everyday life. Patterns, such as those in Two-Bit’s shell, often go unnoticed, so I decided to highlight him and his beautiful design. There is so much art in nature and Two-Bit’s shell emphasizes that.” - Sammy Johnson for “Dutch Roots” (created with charcoal)
“My mom’s favorite way to style my hair when I was younger was in Dutch braids, and I happen to be Dutch, so this piece is a tribute to my mom whilst also hinting at my heritage.” - Naomi Marcus for “When Skies are Grey” (created with charcoal)
“This piece depicts the joy and intrigue found around us, even in the smallest objects and moments. The music box shown, which plays ‘You are My Sunshine,’ represents the simple happiness of the world.” - Victoria Taylor for “Parked” (created with oil paint)
“This car painting not only represents my first car but my life as after moving around I am now stopped in this location, taking in what’s around me and enjoying the moment.”
Honorable Mention Works
The Oliver Ames students who received Honorable Mention recognitions, along with the artist’s statement for their piece(s), are as follows:
- Grace Gouin for “Ingredients” (created with oil paint)
“This piece represents one of my favorite hobbies, baking. Much like artwork, it’s really special to be able to share something I made with people I love.” - Naomi Marcus for a portfolio, entitled “The Little Things”
“In creating the pieces of this portfolio, I was consistently inspired by the idea of capturing the finer moments of life that go, if not unnoticed, then unappreciated. My goal in creating this portfolio, therefore, was to shed light on the beauty that I wish was more celebrated, and that lies in the small moments and objects commonly written off as insignificant.” - Abigail Borden for “Carnation” (created with charcoal and chalk pastel)
“This charcoal piece depicts seven bottles, each a different shape and height. The bottles represent a series of growing up. The pink reflected light throughout the composition represents the aspects of your being that are carried with you your entire life. During different stages of life, we all progress and change into different versions of ourselves, but our true inner light never dims.” - Abigail Borden for “Let it Flow” (created with charcoal)
“This charcoal piece depicts my mother’s bathroom faucet. Something she always reminds me is to take things as they come. This faucet represents a flowing mindset even within hardship.” - Abigail Borden for “Fruitful” (created with colored pencil)
“This piece closely depicts an open pomegranate presenting its seeds. I was inspired by the luminous quality of the pomegranate seeds. Something so beautiful is covered by such a seemingly plain exterior. It serves as a reminder that the best things in life tend to hide below the surface. - Jessica Bradley for “To Bee; or Not to Bee” (created with colored pencil)
“This colored pencil piece depicts a bumblebee landing on a flower. I wanted to achieve a point of view that you don’t normally see with this extreme close-up, and give the viewer the perspective of another bee on the flower.” - Jessica Bradley for “Locked Out” (created with charcoal)
“This piece shows an underside view of a locked doorknob at night. I used high contrast to bring out the reflections and shine of the doorknob, as well the shadows cast on the door below it.” - Isabel Domenico for “Gaze” (created with charcoal)
“The self-portrait is a tradition within Art 4 at Oliver Ames. The process of creating a self-portrait was rewarding, yet difficult. I analyzed my face for countless hours, wrestling with my imperfections, but the final product ultimately gave me a newfound sense of self-acceptance and self-love.” - Isabel Domenico for “Cram Session” (created with pen and ink)
“Inspired by the stress of finals week, I created this piece using words such as anxious, exhausted and stressed. These all encapsulate the emotions I experienced during this time, the overall amount of stress that comes with school and the overwhelming expectation to succeed.” - L. Frates for “Friendship and Growth Side by Side” (created with charcoal)
“I love the use of symbolism in life and art. Naturally, when I obtained enough keys for a keyring to be necessary, I had to decorate it as someone who loves to accessorize. Butterflies have been a recurring motif in my art because of my personal growth and Hello Kitty, outside of her cuteness, is known to be symbolic of friendship.” - L. Frates for “Channeling Affirmation” (created with graphite)
“This piece portrays how I vicariously explored my self-expression and presentation through dolls before doing so myself. Dolls allowed me to comfortably discover myself without the fear of scrutiny from those who are unsupportive.” - Sammy Johnson for “Behind the Screen” (created with pen and ink)
“In a world that is so invested in the media, it can be difficult to differentiate the good from the bad. This micrography piece is a celebration of the joy that technology can bring. Whether it’s a simple compliment or watching a funny video, there is so much happiness that can be shared amongst so many different people.” - Naomi Marcus for “Ripple Effect” (created with colored pencil)
“This piece is a representation of the good that can come from a single action and the influence that each of us has on those around us. The bright colored pencil gradient spreading across the waves of the ripple highlights the potential we each have to unknowingly pass on positivity in every interaction.” - Naomi Marcus for “One More Chapter” (created with pen and ink)
“This micrography piece is a testament to the joy of reading the gripping chapters of a good book. ‘One More Chapter’ depicts the child-like thrill of reading in secret under the covers, determined to find out what happens next in the story.” - Nicollette Mathers for “Body Scheme” (created with pen and ink)
“All my life I have had unlimited access to compare myself to the falsehood of the female body. ‘Body Scheme’ is a micrography illustration that calls attention to my struggles growing up in the height of social media. I used the words ugly, insecure, and overweight to illustrate the composition. I repeatedly overlapped the words to create different values throughout the piece.” - Eesha Merchia for “Spade” (created with charcoal)
“I created this piece as a representation of a staple object that everyone is familiar with while adding in my own personal touch with a key chain that has been carried with me throughout my whole life.” - Eesha Merchia for “Haste” (created with graphite)
“This piece depicts a woman in haste. The elevated nature of the pearls and shoes is supposed to contrast with the careless atmosphere of the composition and give the onlooker an insight into a rushed moment in time.” - Ava Vieira for “Watch Out” (created with charcoal)
“After recently gaining my license, I created this piece in response to that new milestone. This set of keys has a chain with my name that was given to me on my 16th birthday, capturing an important and exciting time of my life.” - Ava Vieira for “Artist’s Block” (created with colored pencil)
“I was having a difficult time developing a concept for this piece, so I decided to draw what was right in front of me, pencils. It aims to show the frustration of an artist’s block where you are just staring at your materials, waiting to start.”
Each student recognized at any of the three levels receives a certificate, and Gold and Silver Key recipients also receive a pin.
An award ceremony was held on March 17 to recognize Gold and Silver Key recipients. The exhibit of recognized works was open at Tufts University from March 16-23.
Massachusetts Amazing Emerging Artist Recognitions Exhibit
The Massachusetts Amazing Emerging Artist Recognitions Exhibit is a juried show for grade 9-12 students of Massachusetts Art Education Association (MAEA) members. Work can be submitted in 10 categories, ranging from drawing to fashion. Student entries are selected for inclusion in the year’s exhibit through a blind judging process by a panel of art educators.
Each submission is also considered for various monetary awards. Isabel Domenico received the Blick Art Materials Gift Card Award ($300), Abigail Holmes received the Davis Publications Media Category Award for Drawing ($25), and Naomi Marcus received the Hat Sisters Award ($250, in memory of John Michael Gray).
Art teachers can submit work from up to five students. All five Oliver Ames students were juried into the exhibit and are recognized as 2024 Amazing Emerging Artists. The students, their works and an artist statement are as follows:
- Jessica Bradley for “Sunday Drive” (created with oil paint)
“‘Sunday Drive’ depicts the typical Sunday car shows I go to with my brother. In this painting, the bright red Dodge Viper is the main focus of the event, portraying it near a turquoise van helped emphasize the Viper in the composition. Portraying it in a foreshortened perspective adds to the dramatics of this being a show-stopping and admired car at the car shows.” - Isabel Domenico for “Foot Traffic” (created with colored pencil, charcoal, chalk pastel)
“‘Foot Traffic’ captures a moment in a crowded school hallway, feet shuffling, stuck behind a slow walker; each shoe representing each unique individual. This piece portrays the fleeting nature of high school. For the composition, I utilized four mediums, colored pencil, oil pastel, pen, and watercolor, all joined together to capture the vibrancies of the shoes against a bland school hallway.” - Abby Holmes for “Two-Bit” (created with colored pencil)
“‘Two-Bit’ is centered around my tortoise, Two-Bit, as the title suggests. The piece highlights the up close intricacies of animals and objects that we see in everyday life. Patterns, such as those in Two-Bit’s shell, often go unnoticed, so I decided to highlight him and his beautiful design. There is so much art in nature and Two-Bit’s shell really emphasizes that.” - Naomi Marcus for “Made in Canada, 1937” (created with colored pencil)
“I have lived in a number of different cities and countries. Despite learning to find a home wherever I am, I often feel as though I do not truly have a homeland. ‘Made in Canada, 1937’ is a reflection of my desire to connect with my Canadian heritage, through creation. This colored pencil drawing of paint brushes in an antique jar is an exploration of myself: my love of art and my personal history.” - Nicollette Mathers for “Body Scheme” (created with pen and ink)
“All my life I have had unlimited access to compare myself to the falsehood of the female body. ‘Body Scheme’ is a micrography illustration that calls attention to my struggles growing up in the height of social media. I used the words ugly, insecure, and overweight to illustrate the composition. I repeatedly overlapped the words to create different values throughout the piece.”
This year’s Amazing Emerging Artist Recognitions Exhibit is viewable virtually on massarted.com.
“Both recognition programs are wonderful opportunities for our students to have their work celebrated and recognized among their peers,” Superintendent Cabral said. “Congratulations to each student and thank you to Ms. Shea for her continuous support of our amazing artists.”
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