High school students participate in Barton County Arts Council Vortex Day at Barton Community College

May 2, 2019
Story by Joe Vinduska
Courtesy photos submitted

Students from area high schools came to Barton Community College to engage in hands-on workshops from art professionals and participate in a juried art exhibit Wednesday as part of the annual Vortex Day, which is sponsored by the Barton County Arts Council (BCAC) and is underwritten by the Bill J. McKown Endowment/Golden Belt Foundation.

“We applaud the generosity of the BCAC,” Shafer Art Gallery Director Dave Barnes said. “Without their help, we would not have been able to expand our workshop offerings, provide the students with significant awards and provide encouragement to the high school teachers participating in the event.”

The BCAC Vortex exhibit features entries in a variety of mediums from painting to 3D. The exhibit serves as the framework for Vortex Day, which is designed to stimulate and enhance students’ interest and excitement in the arts. Students participated in various workshops which ranged from ceramics to a session on photography.

The day concluded with the awards ceremony in the Shafer Art Gallery to recognize the BCAC Vortex Exhibit winners in various categories. Students were awarded art supplies depending on their placement.

The exhibit will be on display through Saturday.

Barton County Arts Council Vortex Day High School Exhibit 2019 Award Winners

Best of Show 2-D:
Emma Fisher, “Beauty Standards”, Ellinwood

Best of Show 3-D:
Jordon Willinger, “Illusions”, St. John-Hudson

Director’s Choice Award:
Noelle Kuhn, “Teenage Dirtbag”, Larned

Ceramics:
First Place, Erica Gross, “Lilac”, Ellinwood
Second Place, Jordon Willinger, “Bird Pitcher”, St. John-Hudson
Third Place, Eric Reyes, “Fred”, Great Bend

Sculpture:
First Place, Emma Fisher, “Emotional hands”, Ellinwood
Second Place, Abner Chavez, “Cerebus”, Great Bend
Third Place, Etha N. Haney, “Miduri Taku”, St. John-Hudson

Dry Media:
First Place, Peyton Duvall, “Dawn”, Great Bend
Second Place, Ashley Herman, “What is life”, Ellinwood
Third Place, Jaquelyn Gonzalez, “Drowning”, Hoisington

Wet Media:
First Place, Sayra Solis, “In the Clouds”, Great Bend
Second Place, Lauren Doctor, “Natural Connection”, Great Bend
Third Place, Jalyn Lear, “One More Line”, Great Bend

Printmaking:
First Place, Jennah Jeffrey, “Cat”, Central Plains
Second Place, Quentin Castro, “Memorial”, Larned
Third Place, Ryenne Cunningham, “Heritage”, Central Plains

Computer Arts & Photography:
First Place, Kindric Castro, “Untitled”, Larned
Second Place, Makalia Enfield, “Into the Woods”, Stafford
Third Place, Ruthie Webster, “Millennium”, Larned

Painting:
First Place, Iris Bunch, “Monsters are Real”, Central Plains
Second Place, Emma Fisher, “Bleached”, Ellinwood
Third Place, Quinton Castro, “Maybe Next Year”, Larned

Fibers:
First Place, Heavin Hipp, “Balance”, Hoisington
Second Place, Payton Dykes, “Charylodis”, Hoisington
Third Place, Cass Stout, “Wild and Free”, Central Plains

For more information, contact Shafer Art Gallery Director Dave Barnes at barnesd@bartonccc.edu or (620) 792-9342.