Cardinals soar at conference art show

Newton High School artists represented their campus art department well by taking home high honors from the Little Hawkeye Conference Art Show, held April 6 in Grinnell.

The highest honor at the event for an NHS student went to Kenna Machin. She received “Best of Show: 3-D” for her handbuilt teapot of a bear head. Machin also received first place in hand-built pottery.

NHS art teacher Ruth DenHartog said the show and its affiliated competition can be compared to team and individual championships in sports and other competitive areas of the conference. However, unlike wrestling or track and field, not many ribbons are awarded in the LHC artwork competition.

Categories could have up to four place winners. However, most categories featured only three or fewer ribbons awarded.

DenHartog said the competition extended to a sort of qualifying level, as Newton students have to vie simply to be the best to represent their school at the LHC show.

“Being selected to represent NHS was an honor in itself, as 14 students represented Newton in 19 categories,” DenHartog said.

Machin’s honor made her one of the top artists of the conference show. Two top awards are given: one for “Best of Show 2-D” and one for “Best of Show 3-D.”

Each of the seven LHC schools could enter a total of 20 art pieces into any of the 20 categories. The art was then judged by a professional artist, who determined the awards.

Other NHS students who were honored include Vlada Osadcha, who took both first and third place in in acrylic painting, first place in crafts and fibers and first place in watercolor painting; Helen Chandler, who was first in wearable arts; Bailee Shipley, who placed second in 3-D mixed media; Carolyn Thurmond, who got second in wheel-thrown pottery; Kylea Huizenga, who took third in handbuilt pottery and Cheyenne Schaffer, who took home first place in in 3-D mixed media.

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com