If you want to see the best of middle and high school art from our region, don’t miss the Mid-South Scholastic Arts Awards exhibition. The show opened January 21st at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art and runs through February 23rd.
This most anticipated tradition awards gold and silver keys to students whose work is submitted for the juried competition by public and private school art teachers. Approximately 2,250 pieces were sent for the competition this year, up from last year thanks to a change in rules that allows teachers to have unlimited submissions.
The competition awards students in grades 7 to 12, recognizing excellence in the fine arts of painting, drawing, photography, ceramics, fashion, multi-media, and writing. Cash prizes and scholarships to universities across the Mid-South were given out during the awards ceremonies, held on February 1st at the Brooks.
The Memphis Brooks League, which supports the program, started the competition in 1966. The organization is now part of the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, which hosts the national Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.
The annual exhibit is always a rich mix of work, from hyper-realistic and abstract paintings on paper to three-dimensional objects made of clay, paper, wire, even string. Among our favorites are the fashion design dresses. Last year’s dress made of Target bags was both charming and sophisticated.
Make a point to pay a visit to the Brooks. You’ll leave feeling inspired.