Converse’s Department of Art, Design & Letters held its annual Emerging Young Artists Juried Exhibition. Accepted submissions were on exhibition in Milliken Art Gallery from March 11 through March 23, 2024.
On the final day, the reception and award ceremony were held in the gallery to celebrate all the artists selected to display their artwork.
The Converse Emerging Young Artists Exhibition provides a venue to recognize exemplary art by high school students and to help them begin to prepare for future studies in the arts while still in grades 9-12. This is a unique opportunity for local high school students to exhibit in a prominent art gallery and win accolades for their art.
Faculty from Converse’s Department of Art, Design & Letters reviewed 315 submissions from across the state and accepted 132 into this year’s exhibition. Awards were given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each medium, and one best in show was awarded.
Congratulations to the 2024 award winners!
BEST IN SHOW
Alyssa Lewis (12th grade); Me, My Father, vs. Everyone Else. Teacher: Kevin Morrissey; Fort Dorchester High School
FIRST PLACE AWARDS
Painting: Cate Olmert (10th grade) Pizza Night. The Fine Arts Center; Teacher: Ryan Roth
Drawing: Antanina Kutsilina (11th grade) Terror. Greer High School; Teacher: Michael Parker
Mixed Media: Teagan McEnroe (11th grade) Peruvian Market. Spartanburg High School; Teacher: Elizabeth Walsh
Printmaking: Anya Brannon (10th grade) Uprooted. St. James High School; Teacher: Joe Grega
Ceramics: Chelsea Marks (12th grade) Nonsto., Mauldin High School; Teacher: Danielle Scott
Sculpture: Haleigh Perkins (12th grade) Tranquilize Me. The Fine Arts Center; Teacher: Chloe Kaylor
Fibers: Mary B. Mays (11th grade) Pale Comparison. The Fine Arts Center; Teacher: Chloe Kaylor
Photography: Christian Reynoso (11th grade) Con Amour. The Fine Arts Center; Teacher: Zane Logan
Digital Media: Rain Perez (10th grade) And All My Devotion Turns Violent. Fort Dorchester High School; Teacher: Kevin Morrissey
SECOND PLACE AWARDS
Painting: Izzy Varquez-Paulk (12th grade) Landscape of Falls Park. SC Governor’s School for the Arts/Humanities; Teacher: Paul Yanko
Drawing: Cadence Buchwald (12th grade) Self Portrait. Emerald High School; Teacher: Keith Bowen
Mixed Media: Jessica Spott (12th grade) Composed. The Fine Arts Center; Teacher: Katy Cassell
Printmaking: Alissa Styles (10th grade) Modern Living. Woodruff High School; Teacher: Samantha Dosher
Ceramics: Jackson Bartley (11th grade) Hydra Lekythos. Mauldin High School; Teacher: Danielle Scott
Sculpture: Ozbeidy Trujillo-Lobato (12th grade) Things I Found in Classmate’s Pockets. Johnsonville High School; Teacher: Jennifer Hodges
Fibers: Luca Gayosso (10th grade) Northern Lights. Boiling Springs High School; Teacher: Amanda Keith
Photography: Cam Dather (10th grade) Untitled. Riverside High School; Teacher: Kelsey Barton
Digital Media: Addison Henderson (9th grade) Moonlight. Byrnes Freshman Academy; Teacher: Megan Parlow
THIRD PLACE AWARDS
Painting: Laurie Rider (11th grade) Gluttony. Dorman High School; Teacher: Frances Vaughan
Drawing: Victoria Udensi (9th grade) Not All Happy Birthdays. Dorman Freshman Campus; Teacher: Ashley Pridgen
Mixed Media: Olivia Gossett (9th grade) Falling Leaves. Boiling Springs High School; Teacher: Mindie Tumblin
Printmaking: Kimber Lipscomb (12th grade) Fried Okra. Chesnee High School; Teacher: Jennifer McKinney
Ceramics: Jaycee DeRemer (12th grade) Holder of Flowers. Summerville High School; Teacher: Marin Williams
Sculpture: Micah Briggs (11th grade) Filming Bodies of the Ages. Dorman High School; Teacher: Amy Workman
Fibers: Julia Weeks (11th grade) Summer Play. Spartanburg Christian Academy; Teacher: Heidi Godfrey
Photography Laurel Williams (11th grade) Flower Girl. St. James High School; Teacher: Janice McBride
Converse University and the Converse Department of Art and Design are grateful to all the schools, teachers, and students who participated in this high school juried exhibition.
Artwork featured: Winner of Best of Show Alyssa Lewis (12th grade); Me, My Father, vs. Everyone Else. Teacher: Kevin Morrissey; Fort Dorchester High School
For more information and to view photos, visit the Converse University website.
Written by Converse University.