Visual and creative writing work by five Upper School students received recognition from the Philadelphia Arts in Education Partnership, part of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. Submitted works are judged by an independent panel of professionals from the respective fields of visual arts and creative writing.
Silver Key
Charlotte Baker, Elegant Humor, painting. Charlotte's artist's statement: “In life, we experience an exponential amount of moments of joy, amazement, and excitement. These emotions can be caused by the simplest experiences or thoughts. Through my work, I am trying to rediscover what these mean. By looking at my paintings, I hope I can make someone inspired or laugh, maybe even cry… because that’s what art is to me: a brief moment created between the expression of the artist and the listener, the observer or the admirer.”
Kaela Savoy-Cooper, The Mask, editorial cartoon. "My class was tasked with creating an editorial cartoon/image that relates to modern issues. My piece, The Mask, is meant to be a spoof on old zombie movie posters. I drew more than one person in my piece because I wanted to show that beating the circumstances of life right now is a group effort. It relates to a prevalent concept in zombie media where survival is dependent on cooperation within the community. I wanted the protagonists to have tools that allow them to fight the virus. This manifested itself in the vaccine, masks, disinfectant and a yardstick for keeping six feet apart. I’m thankful to be awarded and grateful that even in times like this, we can address issues through the lens of parody and humor."
Honorable Mentions
Oyinpreye Doubeni, Untitled, digital art. "Through this artwork I wanted to show the inverse relationship between technology advancing and nature decaying. As the girl’s technology gets more advanced, the background decays. In the first panel, the girl’s eyes are closed and she looks happy. It's not until the last panel that she finally opens her eyes and realizes what is going on around her. I used colors to show the mood of the panels. In the first panel, I used very bright colors to create a more positive mood. As the panels progress, the colors are darker and less saturated to create a gloomier mood. By the last panel, almost the entire background is black and the only light is coming from the technology on the girl.”
Nicole Gilbert, Anywhere We Haven't Been (Or Would Even Dream of Going), dramatic script. In 2021, Gilbert was a 2021 National Silver Medalist for her dramatic script Misconceptions. The work earned a 2021 Gold Key in the regional competition.
Zady Hasse, Maple Key, painting. "This image is inspired by a passage from the book Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard. I wanted to illustrate a bell suspended from the ribs, as well as the twirling maple keys which are described in the book. Both held symbolism for the way the spirit of life influences the individual, the spirit sounds the bell inside each person or sends them spinning down through the air. I felt I could imagine these images very clearly in my mind and I was moved to try and recreate them as best I could on paper, to translate the feeling of the internal spirit onto a visual format."
Zady Hasse, Bloom, drawing and illustration. "Flowers are often seen as beautiful for their color and shape, but I have always felt attracted most to their openness when they are in full bloom. I can imagine the beautiful walls and depths of the petals inviting in a tiny pollinator. The flower depicted in bloom is not based on any particular flower species, but instead a plant flinging out its arms with pizzazz, displaying its glorious colors and welcoming others in.
Charlotte Baker, An Educated Prick, painting. See artist statement, above.