Ramapo Student Cucopulos Earns ArtStart Top Honors

Alexa Cucopulos hasn’t really worked that much with wood as an artistic medium before. But that didn’t stop the Ramapo High School student from receiving the Best in Show award at the annual ArtStart competition at William Paterson University recently.

Cucopulos received the award for her work “Horror Film,” which was made with oil pastel paints on plywood. The work is a painting of her friend watching a horror film in a movie theater, the light from the screen searing his face.

“I thought using the wood would be something new and fun to try out,” said Cucopulos, a Franklin Lakes resident and student at Ramapo High School.

Cucopulos has been involved in art since she was young. She started drawing when she was 6.

“For us, it really solidifies what we’ve believed about Alexa, that she is a very bright and talented person,” said Cucopulos’s mother Deborah. “She’s has a lot of talent and we’re thrilled she received this award.”