ARTS Announces Emerging Artists Competition Winners

Arts for Rural Texas (ARTS) is delighted to announce the success of its annual Emerging Artists Competition and Exhibition, which happened on Saturday, Aug. 5, at the ARTS Ross Gallery in Fayetteville.

During the event, the gallery teemed with eager families from across Southeast and South Central Texas. The childrens artwork was revered and the competition winners were announced. The Emerging Artists Competition consists of original artwork in a variety of media made by young artists from grades 6-12. The Emerging Artists Competition and Exhibition is underwritten by Arne and Mary Le Johnson with the wish that the show will encourage youth to seek creative and successful avenues of expression in their lives. Winners of the 2023 Emerging Artists Competition are: Best of Show: “Sandscape” by Phoenix Kooper, 10th Grade; 6th grade winners: first place – Ruby the Springer by Boyce Davis, second place – Looking Back by Avery Dennis, third place – Jenny by Col-ton Brezina, honorable mention – Horse by Avery Dennis; 7th grade winners: first place – Henry by Jake Hughes, second place – Christmas Cozy by Caroline Bartek, third place – My First Quilt by Julia Tucker, honorable mention – Moment in Time by Carolina Lira; 8th grade winners: first place – Sensation by Jessica Misenheimer, second place – My Angel in the Sky by Bianca Carrillo, third place – Squeegeed Frenzy by Shane Dominey, honorable mention – Natural Rainbow by Michelle Onianwa; 9th grade winners: first place – Sun Moonrise by Olivia Dominey, second place – Reflection by Emma Koeth, third place – Gogy by Kara Jurecka, honorable mention – Black Earth by Kara Jureka; 10th grade winners: first place – Little Cowboy by Jordan Phillips, second place - Ole Ford by Brent Jones, third place - Grassland by Phoenix Kooper, honorable mention – Petit Jean Cliffside by Nolan Dominey; 11th grade winners: first place – Blue Ridge in Motion by Samantha Kubena, second place - Canyon Light by Peyton Ivy, third place - Two Pears and One Orange by Samuel Hegar, honorable mention – Vanishing by Aleyna Sunguroglu; 12th grade winners: first place – Curious Calf by Ella Knobloch, second place - Standing Alone by Teagan Branch, third place - Hypernova by Ottis Dominey, honorable mention – Teddy Bear Picnic by Vanessa Vickers.

The event was an inspiring celebration of our youth’s collective creative voices. The exhibition will be open from August 5 to August 26, Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., in the ARTS Ross Gallery, 114 N Live Oak St, Fayetteville, TX 78940.

ARTS, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, believes in the importance of visual and performing arts experiences for children in rural communities. Engaging in art empowers children with valuable tools for self-expression and sets a strong foundation for their overall growth.

In the coming weeks, ARTS will open registration for its free Art After School programs in nine communities across the region, nurturing youth and providing opportunities for artistic and personal growth. For more information and online registration for Art After School programs, please visit https://artsforruraltexas. org/aas or call (979) 3782113. Additional details about the Emerging Artists Competition and Exhibition can be found at www.artsforruraltexas. org.