Virtual: 2021 Scholastic Art Awards: Wisconsin Exhibition

February 6–March 21, 2021

This year marks the 45th (and first virtual!) Scholastic Art Awards: Wisconsin Exhibition hosted at the Milwaukee Art Museum. More than two hundred artworks by Wisconsin students in grades 7–12 are featured in this annual exhibition that celebrates young talent in our state. The juried exhibition is drawn from over 1,800 submissions in the categories of Architecture & Industrial Design, Ceramics & Glass, Comic Art, Design, Digital Art, Drawing & Illustration, Editorial Cartoon, Expanded Projects, Fashion, Film & Animation, Jewelry, Mixed Media, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Senior Art Portfolios.

The Scholastic Art Awards program acknowledges excellence in the visual arts and encourages the artistic endeavors of young people throughout the United States. The Silver Key Award denotes statewide recognition. Artworks with a Gold Key later compete for Silver and Gold Medals at the national level, in New York. Many award winners go on to achieve distinction in the fine arts, applied arts, and design, often crediting their success to the early recognition they received as participants in the Scholastic Art Awards. A number of artists represented in the Museum’s collection were Scholastic Art Award recipients, including Nancy Burkert, Robert Indiana, David Lenz, Philip Pearlstein, JoAnna Poehlmann, Cy Twombly, Tom Uttech, and Andy Warhol.


2021 Silver Key and Gold Key Awarded Artworks

Explore this year’s 136 Silver Key and 98 Gold Key awarded artworks across seventeen categories. Twenty-nine artists and arts professionals from Milwaukee’s creative community made the award selections, using a blind jury process based on Scholastic’s three core values: originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal vision or voice.


Awards

Honorable Mention
Works that receive this honor in regional adjudication are not included in the exhibition. Students receive a Certificate of Merit.

Silver Key
In the various media categories, certain works are given special state recognition with a Silver Key.

Gold Key
Works receiving a Gold Key in the regional competition go on to be judged at the national level in New York City.

American Visions Awards
Regional judges select five superior works from all the Gold Key finalists in every 2-D and 3-D media category as nominees for the national award. The national judges give one American Visions Award medal, sponsored by National Scholastic, to an outstanding artwork from each regional exhibition.

Gift Certificates and Cash Awards
Awarded regionally by art supply stores, businesses, individuals, and associations, these are selected by the donor’s representatives.


Digital

Drawing and Illustration

Mixed Media

Painting

Photography


2021 Scholastic Art Awards Wisconsin Judges

Phoenix S Brown, Artist; Abert Family Curatorial Fellow, Milwaukee Art Museum; Teaching Assistant, New Studio Practice, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
Ted Brusubardis, Artist; Director of Gallery Media and A/V Systems, Milwaukee Art Museum
Dianne Choie, Youth & Family Programs Coordinator, Milwaukee Art Museum
Lynne Dixon-Speller, Dean of Academics, Edessa School of Fashion
Kari Garon, Artist; Associate Lecturer, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Brett Henzig, Artist; Youth & Family Programs Educator, Milwaukee Art Museum
David Najib Kasir, Artist
James Kieselburg, Director, Grohmann Museum
Alison Kleiman, Artist; Design and Brand Lead, Milwaukee Art Museum
Nykoli Koslow, Artist; 2020 Pfister Artist in Residence
Jessica Laub, Artist and Community Arts Advocate
Donte L. McFadden, Ph.D., Community Programming and Education Coordinator, Black Lens Film Series, Milwaukee Film
Byada Meredith, Artist
Todd Mrozinski, Artist; Adjunct and Continuing Education Instructor, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
Janelle Nitz, Art Educator, Christ–St. Peter Lutheran School
Josie Osborne, Artist; Senior Lecturer, Art & Design and Director, First Year Program, Peck School of the Arts, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Cristina Ossers, Artist; Lead Artist, Walker’s Point Center for the Arts; Founder, DocMyArt
Sarah Ozurumba, Artist; Associate Educator for School & Teacher Programs, Milwaukee Art Museum
Lauren Parra, Graphic Artist
Christopher McIntyre Perceptions, Artist; Founder CEO, PerceptForm Inc., CMPerceptions
Rosy Petri, Artist; 2019 Pfister Artist in Residence; 2020 Mildred L. Harpole Artist of the Year; 2020 Mary Nohl Fellow
Graeme Reid, Director of Collections and Exhibitions, Museum of Wisconsin Art
Geryn Roche, Associate Lecturer, Ceramics, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Jinnene Ross, Artist
Fernando Reyero Noya, Artist, Educator
LaNia Sproles, Artist; 2019 Mary Nohl Fellow, Milwaukee
Emily Sullivan, Artist; Director of Youth and Family Programs, Milwaukee Art Museum
Alex Walker, Building Plans Examiner, City of Milwaukee, Department of Neighborhood Services
Ronald Bennett Williamson, Creative Director, Evelyn Brawner Couture


This program is supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Wisconsin Arts Board logo

Contributing Sponsors: The Heller Foundation and Mary Ellen Heller in memory of Avis Heller Peter and Debra Johnson An anonymous donor

Donors

Docent Class of 2017 Awards: Five $100 cash awards
Peter and Debra Johnson Awards: Three $100 cash awards
Alice Steuck Konkel Awards: One $200, three $100 and two $50 cash awards
Milwaukee Art Museum Docent Award: $250 cash award, in recognition of the talents and dedication of the Docents
Milwaukee Art Museum Membership Awards: Four Family-level memberships
Jim Miyazaki Memorial Award: $200 cash award
Miyazaki Family Award: $125 cash award to one Wauwatosa high school student
The Sycamore Awards, Offered by Sue and Ray Kehm: Two $50 cash awards
Wings Awards: Two $75 cash awards, celebrating Colleen Moran Muldowney who fostered young artists for over 60 years; selected by her grandchildren
Wisconsin Art Education Association Awards: Two $250 cash awards to high school seniors
Wisconsin Pastel Artists Award: $100 gift certificate for Jack Richeson Company

Image:
  • Victoria Fernandez, We All Hold Hands, 2020. Acrylic and watercolor. National American Visions Award and Gold Medal in Painting. Grade 12, Pius XI Catholic High, Milwaukee, Cathy Burnett, instructor.