The 2023 Scioto County Regional High School Art Show “Visually Literate” took place from May 3-16, in the Appleton Gallery at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio. With close to 200 people in attendance, the Closing Reception and Awards Ceremony were held on May 16, in the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts at SSU. This event was coordinated by the South Central Ohio Educational Service Center in collaboration with Shawnee State University. 

 

Dr. Isabell Graziani, associate professor of art at Shawnee State University was the juror for the Visually Literate show and the keynote speaker at the Awards Ceremony. 

 

Categories included Black & White Drawing, Sculpture, Painting, Color Drawing, Ceramics, Graphics, and Mixed Media. 

 

Best of Show was awarded to Shelby Gillum of Wheelersburg High School, for her surrealistic mixed media piece titled “Woman of Iroko”. Shelby was presented a $300 award along with a medallion and ribbon. 

 

First Place winners were awarded $100 each, and awards went to Abigail Webb for Black & White Drawing; Linden Crabtree for Sculpture; Malachi Foreman for Painting; Moya Venters for Ceramics; Laney Fife for Graphics, Linden Crabtree for Mixed Media, and Malachi Foreman for Color Drawing. 

 

Second Place awards went to Hannah Jones for Black & White Drawing; Nevaeh Wood for Sculpture; Alena King for Painting; Madeline Veach for Ceramics; Aria Bradley for Graphics; Rebecca Morgan for Mixed Media; and Katelynn Marsh for Color Drawing.

 

Third Place awards went to Tayler Freeland for Black & White Drawing; Gavin Porter for Sculpture; Oliver Sparks for Painting; Kylee Smith for Graphics, Tiffany Sexton for Mixed Media; and Alena King for Color Drawing.

 

Honorable Mentions were awarded to Amadea Everman, Juniper Allen, Mahayla Blevins, Jasmine Bowen, Linden Crabtree, Skyler Dorsey, Carly Mays, Rhyan Alkire, Miriam Phipps, Malachi Foreman, and Onaca Kirkendall.

 

Dr. Michael Barnhart, Chair of the Fine and Performing Arts Department at Shawnee State University, awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Alena King of Portsmouth High School who plans to study art at Shawnee State University next fall. Mr. Tom Suter, assistant professor at the University of Rio Grande, awarded a $2,000 scholarship to Malachi Foreman of Wheelersburg High School who plans to begin his art degree at the University of Rio Grande next fall. 

 

During the Awards Ceremony students who created portraits as part of the Memory Project were recognized along with students who were accepted into the Visually Literate Exhibition. The Memory Project is a nation-wide nonprofit organization that invites art teachers and their students to create portraits for children around the world who have faced substantial challenges, such as neglect, abuse, loss of parents, and extreme poverty. 

The Portsmouth High School Jazz Band, led by Tony McKrimmon, performed at the reception prior to the awards being presented. Sharee Price, Gifted Services Coordinator at the South Central Ohio Educational Service Center, organized the event and presented awards. 

 

The sponsors for this event were: William & Barbara Burke, DESCO Federal Credit Union, Glockner Enterprises, Gary & Marilyn Hairston, Drs. Raj & Reshma Kataria, Portsmouth Area Arts Council, Rotary Club of Portsmouth, Scioto Foundation, Shawnee Art & Hobby Supplies, Shawnee State University, Southern Ohio Medical Center, and University of Rio Grande.