Watchung Hills' Young Artists Capture Awards at Art School Showcase

A dozen Watchung Hills Regional High School students were recognized with awards at the 33rd Annual High School Art Showcase held at the DuCret School of Art in Plainfield.

The annual High School Exhibition, which featured some 500 works from 29 public and private schools from across New Jersey, was professionally judged, and certificates of award were made to competitors on Feb. 24. The art work was on display through March 5.

Watchung Hills Regional High School award winners included:

• Acrylic: Audey Luo, first place; Jessica Kukucka-Doney, Honorable Mention
• Pastel: Charlotte Brusaschi, Honorable Mention
• Watercolor: Emily Harris, second place
• Mixed Media/Collage: Dana Mertz, third place
• Special Effects/Graphic Photo: Emily Keller
• Color Pencil: Jacquelyn Salustro, Honorable Mention
• Graphic Arts: Lauren Aquino, first place; Matt Reczyoski, third place
• Watercolor: Rachel Prosser, Honorable Mention
• Charcoal: Steven Dodge, second place
• Oil: Zoe  Ambinder, Honorable Mention

The Fresh Perspective High School Art Exhibit at the Morris Museum, Morristown, is another venue for student art. This annual juried exhibition gives artistically accomplished high school students a professionally-organized museum experience. The young artists will be honored at the opening reception on April 18.Work accepted for the show will include an oil on canvas by Zoe Ambinder, and gouache on illustration board by Jessica Kukucka-Doney. Both students are graduating seniors who have already received college acceptance; Ambinder will study at the Carnegie Mellon University, and Kukucka-Doney will attend the School of Visual Arts in Philadelphia.

A color pencil drawing by Jacquelyn Salustro, Class of 2013,  has been selected as the front cover for April’s Warren Connection, a color tabloid-sized magazine sent to residents of the Hills sending district.

The Du Cret competition is but one avenue students may use to submit their works. Serious students enter exhibitions and competition in many venues as a way of building confidence, experience and a portfolio. Programs such as Youth Art Month, the county Teen Arts Festival and shows at private galleries encourage young artists to display—and compete—with the state’s top talents.

Students also have their own “gallery” in Hills’ main entry/atrium, where the frequently-changing exhibits give them the opportunity to show their talents. The Spring Arts Festival, scheduled for May 14^th to 19^th will be another opportunity for the public to view and appreciate the artistic—as well as dramatic, musical and creative—talents of the student body.