Morning Coffee🏅🏅  

National Scholastic Gold & National Gold American Visions Medal - Displayed in New York City and the State Museum of Pennsylvania

I was 14 when I started this pencil drawing my freshman year of high school. I referenced a photo I took at my favorite coffee shop when I lived in Phoenix, Arizona. I later entered the drawing into the National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Competition in 2018.

Out of over 350,000 pieces of art and writing that were submitted into the competition that year, less than 1% were awarded a Gold Medal and recognized at the national level. Mine was one of the few selected to receive a Gold medal. In my region, over 2,500 entries were submitted for Scholastic award consideration. Only 26 were given a National Award for both art and writing. Of the 26 Award winners in my region, 3 pieces of art were chosen for the 2018 Art.Write.Now Exhibit in New York City. My drawing was one of those 3. My drawing was on display in New York City for 2 years and I received 2 National Gold Medals my senior year of High School. This is currently my most recognized piece of art I have made. 

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The Desert in Bloom🥈

National Scholastic Silver Medal - Displayed in the 2017 National Art Honor Society Exhibition in Virginia

I created this drawing when I was 14. I took a photo of a cactus that bloomed during the spring when I first moved to Phoenix, Arizona. Adjusting to the desert terrain from being surrounded by grass and trees my whole life, I felt inspired to capture the beauty of the Sonoran Desert in bloom. This led to the creation of the name; "The Desert in Bloom."  This drawing won me my very first award for my artwork. I won First Place in the 2014 Arts Council of North Valley Regional Teen Art Competition in Arizona while I was a freshman in high school.  A few years later, the drawing received a Silver Medal in the National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Competition in 2018.

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The National Art Education Association (NAEA) received 767 submissions in 2017 and 60 works were selected for display in the NAEA Studio & Gallery. My graphite drawing, “The Desert in Bloom,” was selected and Displayed at the NAHS/NJAHS Juried Exhibition in Virginia from    June 5th-- September 15th in 2017. 

View the online 2017 NAHS Gallery here: https://www.arteducators.org/community/articles/320-2017-nahs-njahs-juried-exhibition 

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