Words and Images by Jenny Lynn Davis
The Walker County Arts Alliance celebrated the creativity of young artists from across the county during the closing reception and awards ceremony for its annual Budding Artist Exhibit on Thursday, April 30, at the Arts Alliance Gallery.
The Budding Artist Exhibit is an annual showcase highlighting the talent and imagination of elementary, middle, and high school students throughout Walker County. This year’s exhibit featured student work across a variety of media, including drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, mixed media, and digital art.
While the Budding Artist Exhibit has been held in previous years, this marked the first year that awards were presented to participating students.
“We had so many wonderful submissions in each category, so our friends at Creature Collective, Hannah and Barbara Ann Lewis, donated ribbons to recognize all of the pieces in each category that didn’t place but still showed artistic excellence,” said Kat Murray, executive director of the Walker County Arts Alliance.
Award winners are as follows:
Middle School Sculpture
First Place: Sophie Bankston
High School Sculpture
First Place: Sadie Kilgore
Second Place: Miley Phillips
Middle School Printmaking
First Place: Delilah Abbott
Second Place: Treyvon Banks
Elementary School Painting
First Place: Avery McDaniel
Second Place: Christian Randolph
Middle School Painting
First Place: Josie Hooper
Second Place: Lilliana Bell
High School Painting
First Place: Lilly Jones
Second Place: Bethany Sims
Elementary School Drawing
First Place: August Gladden
Second Place: Gracie Jackson
Middle School Drawing
First Place: LJ Cheatam
Second Place: Adalynn Johnson
High School Drawing
First Place: Addie Lawson
Second Place: Jayda Baker
Elementary School Photography
First Place: Athena Browning
High School Photography
First Place: Cheyenne Hanshue
High School Digital Art
First Place: Daxon Mullinax
Second Place: Shelia Bigham
Elementary School Mixed Media
First Place: Arianna Riley
Middle School Mixed Media
First Place: Logan Drummond, Madi Wade, River Pate, and Elli Woodard
Second Place: Josie Hooper
Elementary School Best of Show
Callie Rains
Middle School Best of Show
Willow Hodge
High School Best of Show
Sadie Kilgore
This year’s Budding Artist Exhibit was made possible through the support of the Walker Area Community Foundation, Nelson, Bryan, Boylen & Cross Attorneys at Law, Honda of Jasper, Athletic Arts Center, Dazzle Dance Boutique, Creature Collective, Bevill State Community College, Bivona Family Dental, and Bivona Chiropractic Clinic.
“Without our sponsors, we wouldn’t have been able to give awards or have this event like we are tonight,” Murray said.
For more information or to participate in future Walker County Arts Alliance programs, email wcaa.arts@gmail.com. WL
