Students earn awards for their artistic achievements

From a high school senior art show to pieces on display in uptown Charlotte, students in Gaston County Schools are showcasing creativity through their artwork.

Cramerton Middle School students Hannah Langley, Sanaa Swain, Amy McPherson, and Ramona Rice received recognition during the Mid-Carolina Scholastic Art and Writing Awards virtual ceremony on February 11.  Their artwork, along with pieces created by other students in the Charlotte area, will be on display at the Mint Museum in uptown Charlotte until April 23.  In addition, Langley and Swain will have their Gold Key artwork judged in the national competition, and Langley’s artwork has been selected to appear on a billboard as part of an agreement with Adams Advertising.

"I feel so honored to have my students win such prestigious awards,” said Cramerton Middle School art teacher Brenda Bradley.  “They are very gifted and talented students, and I am so proud of them all.”

Below is a list of students who received recognition at the Mid-Carolina Scholastic Art and Writing Awards:

• Hannah Langley, Cramerton Middle School, Gold Key, Painting, Angela
• Amy McPherson, Cramerton Middle School, Silver Key, Digital Art, Gnome Improvement
• Amy McPherson, Cramerton Middle School, Honorable Mention, Ceramics and Glass, Carmine
• Amy McPherson, Cramerton Middle School, Honorable Mention, Ceramics and Glass, The Sea Guardian
• Emma Quick, Gaston Early College High School, Honorable Mention, Digital Art, Not Your Pest
• Ramona Rice, Cramerton Middle, Silver Key, Ceramics and Glass, Stonehenge Dragon
• Samantha Saltiel, Highland School of Technology, Honorable Mention, Painting, I Miss You, Ms. Susan
• Sanaa Swain, Cramerton Middle School, Gold Key, Digital Art, From Cool Hues
• Sanaa Swain, Cramerton Middle School, Honorable Mention, Painting, The Skies
• Joyce Zhu, Cramerton Middle School, Honorable Mention, Painting, The Dunes of First Light

In addition to the Mid-Carolina Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, Gaston County Schools had 10 students to be recognized at the Gaston County High School Senior Art Show on February 23.  The show was sponsored by the Gaston County Art Guild in conjunction with Gaston College and funded through a grant from the Gaston Arts Council.

The following students received an award during the 2023 Gaston County High School Senior Art Show:

• Erin Poteat, Ashbrook High School, Best of Show - Overall Winner
• Mark Morales Reyes, Hunter Huss High School, First Runner-Up - Overall
• Brittany Garcia Barrantes, Hunter Huss High School, Second Runner-Up - Overall
• Ashton Pope, North Gaston High School, Third Runner-Up - Overall
• Emily Edmondson, East Gaston High School, First Place, Merit Award
• Trevor McCanless, Forestview High School, Second Place, Merit Award
• Summer VanGastle, Forestview High School, Third Place, Merit Award
• Pakou Hang, Ashbrook High School, Honorable Mention
• Carla Gamez Gutierrez, Bessemer City High School, Gaston County Art Guild Board Award
• Kelly Diaz, Cherryville High School, Rauch Gallery Coordinator Award 

Erin Poteat of Ashbrook High School says she was shocked to hear her name called when the “Best of Show” award was announced.

“I was stunned,” said Poteat, who received a $500 cash prize. “There were so many great pieces of art in the gallery, and to have my piece, Silly Billy, win means the world to me.”

Not only is artwork created by middle school and high school students on display this spring, but students at Lowell Elementary, Rankin Elementary, and Robinson Elementary are getting a chance to present their work to the public.  The “So In Love With Art” exhibit at Arts on the Greenway in Mount Holly is showcasing artwork by students from the three elementary schools through the end of April.

Additionally, the annual “Through An Artist’s Eyes” exhibit, which features student artwork from Gaston County Schools, opens April 14 at the Loray Mill in Gastonia with a reception on April 23 at 2:00 p.m.  The exhibit runs through May 20.  The winning pieces from “Through An Artist’s Eyes” will go on to an exhibit at Central Piedmont Community College in June.