Six students from the region have been selected for Showcase of Excellence, a juried art show and exhibition at Tryon Fine Arts Center. Their work will be featured during the Evening of Excellence reception on Sunday, April 23 at 4 p.m.

Under the instruction of Polk County High School art teacher Jeff Thomas, students Haley Loyer, Dylan Siniard, Joy Shanahan, and Lily Nelson have works on display.

Students Laura Ford and Payal Kerai represented Landrum High School and art teacher Cathey Stoney.

Of the pieces submitted, a number took home awards. “Self-Portrait” by Dylan Siniard was awarded First Prize in Mixed Media. “Raja” by Payal Kerai won Second Prize in Painting and “Lake Lanier” by Laura Ford received Third Prize in Painting. “Strawberries” by Laura Ford also received an Honorable Mention in Drawing.

“Participating in the Showcase of Excellence is a great opportunity for the high school students to see what other area high school art programs are doing as well as providing a ‘springboard’ for nurturing new ideas,” said Cathey Stoney, Landrum art teacher. “Tryon Fine Arts Center is a strong advocate for arts in education.  As a veteran arts teacher I am happy to be part of this partnership.”

Showcase of Excellence is an annual celebration of art students and classrooms in the foothills. Art educators in Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina were invited to submit student work for the juried exhibition, on display at Tryon Fine Arts Center from March 11 through April 23. More than 60 student works in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, and mixed media were submitted from eight regional schools.

On April 23 from 4 to 6 p.m., the Evening of Excellence reception at Tryon Fine Arts Center recognizes the artists’ work with cash prizes and an art auction. Many of the students’ works will be available for sale. Tickets are available at tryonarts.org.

Mike Rigney, chair of the Showcase of Excellence committee at TFAC said, “In this fourth year of Showcase of Excellence the program continues to grow in the number of schools participating, as well as the quality of works submitted. Showcase of Excellence provides high school students a unique opportunity to compete their creativity and talents against area-wide peers in six medium categories that are professionally juried and exhibited at TFAC. In addition to public recognition and opportunity for awards and prizes, student artists experience the challenge of generating commercial appeal for their artwork.”

Proceeds from Showcase of Excellence fund prizes for student artists and teachers, and support Tryon Fine Art Center’s Be Inspired Grants (BIG) program. BIG provides funds to teachers in local classrooms to integrate arts experiences into the curriculum, and encourages cross-discipline projects that would otherwise come from teachers’ own pockets.

Showcase of Excellence is supported by major sponsors including Rotary Club of Tryon Foundation, TD Bank, Kiwanis Club of Tryon, Main Street Insurance, and Chris Bartol Photography.

Article submitted by Michelle Fleming