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2006 Youth Art Month Exhibition winners announced

Eight young artists have been selected as winners in the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History’s annual Youth Art Month Exhibition, which is on display through April 24 in the Balcony Gallery of the Cultural Center, State Capitol Complex in Charleston. The program is produced in cooperation with the West Virginia Art Education Association and the West Virginia Department of Education, in celebration of National Youth Art Month.

The winners’ work will be placed in the permanent collection of the West Virginia State Museum. Each of the eight winners will receive a $50 gift certificate from Dick Blick Art Materials at an awards ceremony at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, March 17, in the Great Hall of the Cultural Center.

Another three works in the exhibition have been selected to represent West Virginia in the annual Congressional Art Competition for high school students. The Congressional Competition is sponsored by members of the United States Congress and culminates in a summer exhibition at the United States Capitol building.

An additional two $100 awards will be given for Arts and Technology and Watercolor. The juror also picked a Judge’s Special Recognition piece and two Honorable Mention Awards.

All winners were chosen by Charleston artist Bruce Haley. An accountant by education, Haley always has searched for a way to express his creative instincts. In 1998 while exploring the internet he discovered the website of Maureen Delahanty, a New York photographer and published writer. He contacted her to express his admiration for her work and she suggested he take up photography to fill his artistic bent. In 1999, Haley bought his first camera and has been taking pictures ever since. The noted nature photographer, Jim Clark, also influenced him and became his mentor after Haley took a workshop from him.

Haley began exhibiting his work in November 2002 and has participated in more than 65 exhibits in West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and Colorado. He has received numerous awards including the Director’s Choice Award at the 2005 International Abstracts Show at the Center for Fine Art Photography in Ft. Collins, Colo.; first place in the professional photographer’s division of the French Art Colony’s 36th Annual Festival Exhibit, in Gallipolis, Ohio; and an Award of Excellence at the Allied Artists 64th Juried Exhibition in Parkersburg among others. Haley currently has an exhibit of 12 PhoDigital paintings on exhibit at the Cultural Center in the Lobby Gallery.

The Youth Art Month Exhibition consists of 68 pieces by 67 students, grades two-12, from 17 West Virginia counties. Artworks in the annual exhibition were selected from a statewide competition.

A list of the winners is enclosed along with a complete list of students whose work is included in the exhibition.

Youth Art Month was established to underscore the importance of including arts experiences in all students’ education. For more information about the Youth Art Month Exhibition, contact Stephanie Lilly, exhibits coordinator for the Division, at (304) 558-0240, ext. 128.

The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. Visit the Division’s website at www.wvculture.org for more information about programs of the Division. The Department of Arts, Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

Youth Art Month Exhibition

Cultural Center, State Capitol Complex, Charleston

Through April 24, 2006

Winners - Youth Art Month Exhibition

Amy Fields, Grade 12, Wahama High School, Mason County

Ashley Haycraft, Grade 6, Elkview Middle School, Kanawha County

Kelsey Hayden, Grade 2, Page Jackson Elementary School, Jefferson County

Dylan Janeczko, Grade 6, Bridge Street Middle School, Ohio County

Run Lin, Grade 10, Wheeling Park High School, Ohio County

Brianna Shingleton, Grade 7, Pleasants County Middle School, Pleasants County

Dakota Williams, Grade 5, Alban Elementary School, Kanawha County

Katy Yeager, Grade 8, Pleasants County Middle School, Pleasants County

Congressional Award Winners

Whitney Dudding, Grade 12, Wahama High School, Mason County

Samuel Farra, Grade 12, Parkersburg South High School, Wood County

Brady Fields, Grade 12, Mingo Career and Tech Center, Mingo County

Arts and Technology Award

Michael Barry, Grade 12, Mingo Career and Tech Center, Mingo County

Watercolor Award

Brianna Shingleton, Grade 7, Pleasants County Middle School, Pleasants County

Judge’s Special Recognition Award

Kelsey Hayden, Grade 2, Page Jackson Elementary School, Jefferson County

Honorable Mention Awards

Leah Amick, Grade 12, Greenbrier West High School, Greenbrier County

Jesse Lenz, Grade 12, Tyler Consolidated High School, Tyler County

Youth Art Month Participants

Clay County

Ashleigh Bird, Grade 12, Clay County High School

Samantha Cummings, Grade 12, Clay County High School

Angela Nichols, Grade 11, Clay County High School

Jillian Pizza, Grade 12, Clay County High School

Greenbrier County

Leah Amick, Grade 12, Greenbrier West High School

Jared Belli, Grade 12, Greenbrier West High School

Craig Payne, Grade 12, Greenbrier West High School

Caleb Stanley, Grade 11, Greenbrier West High School

Jackson County

Misty Barker, Grade 6, Ravenswood Middle School

Bryant Gorrell, Grade 11, Ravenswood High School

Erin McKown, Grade 7, Ravenswood Middle School

Cody Southall, Grade 3, Gilmore Elementary School

Jefferson County

Jessica Babcock, Grade 4, North Jefferson Elementary School

Caitlin Beans, Grade 12, Jefferson High School

Leigh Cassell, Grade 12, Jefferson High School

Kelsey Hayden, Grade 2, Page Jackson Elementary School

Kanawha County

Mathew Bradley, Grade 3, Anne Bailey Elementary School

Sara Hawkins, Grade 12, Herbert Hoover High School

Ashley Haycraft, Grade 6, Elkview Middle School

Dakota Williams, Grade 5, Alban Elementary School

Marion County

Laura Bonasso, Grade 11, North Marion High School

Kathleen Ebert, Grade 11, East Fairmont High School

Kayla Field, Grade 11, East Fairmont High School

Kylie Rexroad, Grade 10, North Marion High School

Mason County

Kelsi Boyd, Grade 12, Wahama High School

Whitney Dudding, Grade 12, Wahama High School

Amy Fields, Grade 12, Wahama High School

Cory Parsons, Grade 12, Wahama High School

Mingo County

Michael Barry, Grade 12, Mingo Career and Tech Center

Brady Fields, Grade 12, Mingo Career and Tech Center

Sean Robinette, Grade 12, Mingo Career and Tech Center

Staphaine Staley, Grade 12, Mingo Career and Tech Center

Nicholas County

Denzil Brooks, Grade 8, Richwood Junior High School

Jeanna Groves, Grade 11, Richwood High School

Megan Russell, Grade 12, Richwood High School

Chantal Sanson, Grade 9, Summersville Junior High School

Jillian Smallwood, Grade 7, Nicholas County High School

Ohio County

Taylor Bray, Grade 10, Wheeling Park High School

Blas Gabbert, Grade 8, Triadelphia Middle School

Dylan Janeczko, Grade 6, Bridge Street Middle School

Run Lin, Grade 10, Wheeling Park High School

Pleasants County

Brianna Shingleton, Grade 7, Pleasants County Middle School

Emily Wilson, Grade 8, Pleasants County Middle School

Lillie Winland, Grade 7, Pleasants County Middle School

Katy Yeager, Grade 8, Pleasants County Middle School

Raleigh County

Joshua Carpenter, Grade 12, Woodrow Wilson High School

Kimberly Cook, Grade 12, Woodrow Wilson High School

Victoria Lively, Grade 11, Woodrow Wilson High School

Blaine McKinny, Grade 11, Woodrow Wilson High School

Tyler County

Brianna Clark, Grade 12, Tyler Consolidated High School

Jesse Lenz, Grade 12, Tyler Consolidated High School

Emmalyn Rucker, Grade 10, Tyler Consolidated High School

Upshur County

Ceara Bender, Grade 8, Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School

Jonathan Dean, Grade 11, Buckhannon-Upshur High School

Gillian Ross, Grade 3, Washington District Elementary School

Jennifer Sands, Grade 12, Buckhannon-Upshur High School

Wirt County

Matthew Bunner, Grade 10, Wirt County High School

Richard Giribble, Grade 11, Wirt County High School

Amber Murphy, Grade 11, Wirt County High School

Athia Rockhold, Grade 12, Wirt County High School

Wood County

Lauren Draber, Grade 9, Jackson Junior High School

Samuel Farra, Grade 12, Parkersburg South High School

Meghann Kelly, Grade 12, Parkersburg South High School

Erika Tharp, Grade 12, Parkersburg South High School

Wyoming County

Ashley Bowles, Grade 12, Westside High School

(two pieces of art in show)

Jacob Callaway, Grade 7, Huff Consolidated

Kyle Smith, Grade 7, Huff Consolidated

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