Tinley Teen Repeats Success Earning 10 Scholastic Art Awards

CHICAGO — Marist High School senior Erin Julian earned ten awards in the University of Iowa 2023 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Presented by the nonprofit organization, the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are the country's longest-running and most prestigious scholarship and recognition programs for creative students in grades 7-12.

The Belin-Blank Center at the University of Iowa adjudicated over 7,000 pieces of art and writing from the Iowa and Midwest region.

Julian racked up three gold key awards in photography and digital art, for her works “If Buddha Was a Sapphire Triptych,” “Victorian Dream” and “Enchanted.” She also picked up two silver key awards, and five honorable mentions.

Another Marist senior, Kayleigh O’Brien, received honorable mentions in science fiction and fantasy for her work “You lie an awful lot for someone with so much to lose,” and in the short story category, “It’s not real. She’s not real.”

Gold Key works have been automatically advanced to the national level of adjudication in New York City. National Medalists will be announced on March 22.

Since 1923, the Awards have recognized some of America’s most celebrated artists and writers while they were teenagers, including: Tschabalala Self, Stephen King, Kay WalkingStick, Charles White, Joyce Carol Oates, and Andy Warhol.