Community and Outreach
Students from across Eastern Kentucky attend High School Art Day
Morehead State’s Department of Art and Design is well-known throughout the Commonwealth for its academic excellence as well as the success of its students. Students from more than a dozen high schools in Eastern Kentucky had the opportunity to see what MSU has to offer on Wednesday, March 13, when they attended High School Art Day.
The annual event is held in conjunction with the Kentucky Arts Education Association’s Burley-Coal Region High School Exhibition and Competition. Students showing artwork in the exhibition received ribbons for first, second, third and honorable mention in 13 different categories. First-place winners are qualified for the all-state competition. A total of 23 schools participated in the event, which included the juried exhibit, art demonstrations, a newspaper sculpture contest and more.
Best-of-show winners were:
- 2D: Anthony Spence, Sheldon Clark High School.
- 3D: Austin Ratliff, Lawrence County High School.
First place winners were:
- Ceramics: Sequora Kollios, Perry County High School.
- Digital Media: Kaylee Fusher, Greenup County High School.
- Drawing: Payton Scott, Paul Blazer High School.
- Fashion Design: Emma Rice, Paul Blazer High School.
- Fiber Arts and Textile Design: Payton Waskey, Russell High School.
- Graphic Design: Kastin Hoffmann, Paul Blazer High School.
- Jewelry and Metalsmithing: Robert Bowling, Hazard High School.
- Mixed Media: Meredith Carpenter, Mason County High School.
- Painting: Kali Leadingham, Russell High School.
- Photography: Abigail Wood, Mason County High School.
- Printmaking: Travis Nelson, Mason County High School.
- Sculpture: Kiersten Dotson, Belfrey High School.
- Video/Film: Heidi Litteral, Raceland Worthington High School.
Not only does the competition give students a chance to showcase their talents, it also gives them the opportunity to interact with faculty from MSU’s Department of Art and Design and learn more about programs offered at the University. In addition, the exhibit gives students an opportunity that simply isn’t available in much of the region.
"It gives them a professional experience displaying work, allows their peers to see their work, gives them confidence in what they do and sharing it with others, and they can potentially move forward to compete at the state level with other regional HS students,” said Lisa Mesa-Gaido, MSU professor of art. She added High School Art Day gives participants a glimpse of what MSU has to offer.
“Our programs offer so many opportunities for our students, for example, on and off campus exhibits (with possible award recognition as well), publishing in Inscape, field trips, community forming activities, conference travel, sales events and experience, multiple club opportunities and internship/practicum connections.”
“Students in Eastern Kentucky don’t have access to many art galleries, so this gives the students an opportunity to have their work displayed in a professional, gallery setting,” said Sandra Coleman, high school art teacher at Paintsville High School.
For more information on MSU’s Department of Art and Design, visit www.moreheadstate.edu/art, email arde@moreheadstate.edu or call 606-783-2766.
High school art teachers who would like to participate in next year’s show can contact Sherri Ward, academic department specialist for the Department of Art and Design, at s.ward@moreheadstate.edu or by calling 606-783-2766.
View Photo Gallery
Photo: Students viewed the works of their peers at the Golding-Yang Gallery in the Claypool-Young Art building during High School Art Day.
View Photo Gallery
Photo: Students viewed the works of their peers at the Golding-Yang Gallery in the Claypool-Young Art building during High School Art Day.
