On March 20th, the reception and awards ceremony for the 22nd Lamorinda Visual Arts Contest were held at the Orinda Library’s Art Gallery. This contest was significant not just as a celebration of artwork from students all over the Acalanes Union High School District, but particularly as a recognition of the projects that Campo students put out.
“Each year, Campo has been the one to submit the most art for the contest,” stated junior Mya Lewis. “The Campo art classes build up a good reputation from it.” The individual, imaginative spirit that the Campo art program has demonstrated from the Lamorinda Visual Arts Contest alone, has, according to Lewis, been the biggest benefit to come from participating in the contest as a collective.
The contest featured four categories of artwork: 2D, 3D, Photography, and Digital Art, and there was a wide range of entries, from painting and drawing to ceramics and digital film. With students being limited to one entry per category, there was a lot of room to be free with creative expression. “I submitted pieces for 2D art…someone told me my piece was really honest and expressed my feelings well, which was something the judges were looking for,” said junior Nathan Fordelon, who placed second in the 2D category.
First place winner of the 2D art category, senior Vivian Tolajian, reflected upon her history with the contest. “I think I’ve submitted every year…this year, I submitted one of the pieces from my AP art portfolio,” she explained. “It depicted an office scene that was supposed to take place in hell…it was meant to comment on how women in the workplace in media and TV shows are often demonized and not seen as assertive or competent, powerful figures.”
The competition awards were offered in the form of cash, merit certificates, an in-person art exhibit in the Art Gallery at the Orinda Library, and an online public exhibit of entries on the Lamorinda Arts Council website. Not only is it local and therefore accessible, but it pushes budding artists to step into the spotlight to seek recognition, according to Campo artists.
“It really encourages people to finish artwork that would have otherwise not been completed for class,” noted Tolajian. “The contest could be something that you do just for fun, but it’s [also] a good way to meet people from other schools. I know I’ve been impressed by the artwork that others have put up.”
