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American Academy of Art Announces Winners of Highly Competitive 2009 Art Scholarship Competition

Posted on: Monday, 2 March 2009, 08:15 CST

Prestigious, Chicago-based art school awards scholarships to eight local high school seniors in annual art competition. Awards ceremony being held March 7, 2009.

CHICAGO, March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Last November, approximately 175 Chicagoland high school seniors gathered at the American Academy of Art for its annual art scholarship competition. The Academy recently announced the eight winners of the full-day, marathon contest. Prizes include scholarships ranging from two semesters to a half semester to the prestigious, four-year art college. Winners' artwork can be viewed here: www.aaart.edu/images/scholarship-winners.pdf.

Some of the nation's most prolific and notable fine artists and illustrators were trained at the Academy, which is currently celebrating its 86th Anniversary. Most recently, alumnus T. Allen Lawson gained fame for winning a commission from Laura Bush to paint the administration's final holiday card - an enviable commission for any established artist.

The competing students attended the full-day competition on Saturday, November 22, 2008. Their work was judged by Academy faculty, who considered fundamental skills as well as the quality and quantity of work completed via two, three-hour assignments: 1) a figurative drawing from a live model using charcoal and pencil, and 2) a still life work in color using any medium other than oil paint.

"This is always an exciting competition and an excellent way to observe the creative abilities of prospective students," said Mr. Richard Otto, president of the Academy.

The top three scholarships were awarded to:

• Lillian Pecina, a student of Plainfield High School, Plainfield, IL, who received the top award in the form of a two-semester scholarship.
• Daniel Rico, a student at John Hancock High School, Chicago, IL, and Faith Betinis, of Streamwood High School, Streamwood, IL, both of whom received single-semester scholarships.

The remaining five awardees received half-semester scholarships, and they include:

• Nancy Valladares, Harry D. Jacobs High School, Algonquin, IL.
• Gerardo Cazares, John F. Kennedy High School, Chicago, IL
• Jeffrey Stein, Timothy Christian High School, Elmhurst, IL
• Gabrielle Esposito, Lincoln Way East High School, New Lennox, IL
• Oona Goodman, William Henry Harrison High School, Lafayette, IN

The selected awardees will be presented their scholarships during a ceremony at the Academy on March 7. The winning students are expected to attend the Academy fall 2009.

Since its founding in 1923, the American Academy of Art has trained and educated some of the nation's most notable and prolific fine artists and illustrators, including Haddon Sundblom, illustrator of original Coca-Cola Santa Claus; Gil Elvgren, famed for pin-up art during WWII; and most recently noted comic book and graphic novel artists Alex Ross, among dozens of other greats.

The American Academy of Art (www.aaart.edu) offers four-year, accredited Bachelor's of Fine Arts degree programs. It emphasizes the classical tradition, reinforced by real-world projects taught by distinguished instructors - all of whom are working artists as well as full-time teachers. The Academy not only guides and trains students to be exemplary artists, it also connects students to valuable resources to help with their transition to a real-world careers upon graduation.

CONTACT: Jason Sherman, 708-445-8598, SHERMAN communications & marketing, inc., jason@shermancm.com, www.shermancm.com

SOURCE The American Academy of Art

Source: PR Newswire

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