On January 26, the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara held its 38th annual Art Scholarship Reception and Exhibition. This year, for the first time, the event was held at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, in the Family Resource Center, where the students’ work will remain on exhibit through February 2.
Twenty-seven students each submitted four pieces of artwork, which were judged by a panel of prominent area artists: Anthony Askew, Patti Jacquemain, and Ro Snell. The judges selected 21 winners and chose one piece from each winner to be part of the curated exhibition. The students were judged on the pieces submitted, a statement from the artist, and how the artwork was presented.
During the reception, the student artists stood beside their artwork to greet patrons and guests and discuss their work while passed hors d’oeuvres were served. Then everyone assembled in the auditorium for a delightful program featuring a very rapid and lively discussion of each student’s artwork by the Museum’s Director of Education Patsy Hicks. The students were briefly introduced and they thanked those who had inspired, taught, and supported them. Dos Pueblos High School art teacher Kevin Gleason and Santa Barbara High School art teacher Daniel Barnett, along with students’ parents, received the most accolades.
In commenting on the Museum of Art being the venue for the exhibition, Hicks stated that “as anyone in real estate will tell you, location matters,” and by displaying the students’ work here “we are sending a message that this is where you belong.”
Each student receives a $2,500 scholarship from one of 19 designated funds, and the Best in Show winner receives an additional $1,000 from the Schall Family. This year’s Best in Show winner was Chloe Stevens, a student at San Marcos High School, who plans on studying landscape architecture at the University of Southern California next year. Remarkably, she did not take a formal art class until her sophomore year and her exquisite piece chosen for the exhibition was her first-ever oil painting. During a Q&A session in the program, she charmed and impressed the audience with her responses.
In 2015, the Scholarship Foundation has awarded 3,019 scholarships totaling $8.76 million. Since 1962, the Foundation has provided nearly $100 million in scholarships. The Foundation also provides financial aid advising services to more than 45,000 students and parents each year. The public is encouraged to view the artwork through February 2.
For more information about the Scholarship Foundation, go to sbscholarship.org.
See listing of award winners below the photos.
The following awards were made:
Chloe Stevens, Bob & Vicki Hazard Art Scholarship, Schall Family Best of Show Award
Christina Anderson, Deep Space Sparkle Art Scholarship
Andrea Caudillo, Mercedes Eichholz Art Scholarship
Raven Condron, Art Patrons Scholarship
Keylin Davenport, Lawson Family Art Scholarship
Josie Doughty, Rick & Regina Art Scholarship
Sira Eriksen, Art Patrons Scholarship
Will Fader, Paul Tuttle Design Scholarship
Mia Franco, Deep Space Sparkle Art Scholarship
Will Goodnough, Morris Squire Art Scholarship
Rose Hillebrandt, Jack Baker Memorial/Wallis Foundation Art Scholarship
Larissa Landeros, Lorna Hedges Art Scholarship
Jack Landis, Henry Van Schie Art Scholarship
Allison Larinan, Gail Berkus Memorial Art Scholarship
Emmanuelle Lewis, Gail Berkus Memorial Art Scholarship
Angelina Lusto, Frank M. Williamson Memorial Art Scholarship
Harmony Reed, Amanda & Jim McIntyre Art Scholarship
Emily Sam, Amber O’Neill Art Scholarship
Caius Sztuk, Adam Bertolet Art Scholarship
Forrest Van Stein, Henry Van Schie Memorial Art Scholarship
Margaret Wilde, Montecito Bank & Trust Art Scholarship