CULLMAN, Ala. – Cullman High School and Cullman City Primary School art and photography teacher Elizabeth Miller announced Thursday that two of her art students placed at this year’s State Superintendent’s Visual Arts Show. Wilson Carter, a kindergartner, won first place in the Kindergarten-2nd grade category, while Whitley Lawson, a ninth grader, took third place in the 9th-10th grade category.
The State Superintendent’s Visual Arts Show is held each year, but as with most things, it was done a bit differently this year due to COVID-19. Submissions were sent digitally, with 43 school systems submitting 584 entries. Of the 43, Miller said 30 school systems had at least one winning student.
“This year what they are doing, they are putting together all of the winners into a presentation that is going to be online,” she said. “That’s going to be uploaded soon and they are going to show off that presentation and recognize the students during their board meeting.”
A date for the presentation has not been set, and there are hopes of a possible banquet in the future to celebrate the students’ talents.
Carter’s artwork is titled “Fauvist Elephant.”
Explained Miller, “He’s in kindergarten and he won for K-2nd grade and placed first. So, he beat out all the other first and second graders. That’s fantastic. He is very artistically inclined and has wonderful abilities.”
When Carter was asked which art lesson was his favorite, he chose the elephant. It features vivid watercolors.
Of Lawson’s piece, done in charcoal pencil, Miller smiled, “It was a portrait. A VERY beautiful portrait. It’s so good that when I posted a picture of it on Facebook, Facebook itself kept asking if I wanted to tag that person in the photo.”
Miller also wanted to recognize Lainy Rodriquez, who won third place in the Kindergarten-2nd grade category in last year’s art show.
“Last year we didn’t get to talk about it because right after it happened, COVID happened, and everything went kind of crazy,” she said.
Rodriquez won as a first grader. Her piece was a collage entitled “Rainbow Cubist Trumpet.” She was invited and traveled to Montgomery to be recognized by State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey.
Miller said the artwork is judged on original design, technical skill, expression and composition.
The young artists will receive certificates, ribbons and prizes and be recognized by the school board later this spring.
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