Art-Wise at Norcross High School

Throughout the year, students and faculty alike have put in many long hours of work which has paid off in numerous awards for Norcross High School art students. 

On the national level there are art and writing awards offered to high school students. Of 185,000 works entered and 1,500 awarded, Norcross Senior Julio Gonzales won three of these himself; two American Visions Awards and one Scholastic Art and Writing Award.

Two Norcross art students, Caitlin Joyce and Madeline Traylor, are finalist for the Governors Honors Program. This summer they’ll spend four weeks in the GHP program at Valdosta State U. The other competitors for this at Norcross were Erick Holmquist, Tyler Smith and Khanh Tran.

Every year there is a juried show called the Georgia High School Ceramic Arts Awards & Symposium held at the Centre for Performing and Visual Arts in Newnan, GA. This year there were 120 pieces accepted for this show which were entered statewide from 35 schools. The following Norcross students had artwork entered in this show: Alberto Donjuan, Brandon Geisler, Cristal Calderon, Irene Nava, Julio Garcia (2), Khan Tran, Ly Heang Noun (2), and Paige Banks. Their work was on display at the gallery in Newnan for the week of April 16-23.

The 20th Annual Pace Photography Competition was held March 30-April 13, and sure enough, Norcross students had photos entered there. These students were chosen for the outstanding compositional design and technique that they employed. The students chosen were: Alberto Donjuan, Arnon Lookchan, Brooke Watson, Danielle Leonard, Julia Vogt, Katherine Trigueros, Nathalie Nicoara, Samantha Bennett, Sarah Rice, and Susie Pratt.

Last but not least, coming up May 6-26, is the All-State Art Symposium which is a state wide juried exhibit taking place at Kennesaw State University. The Norcross students whose work has been accepted into this event are: Tyler Smith “Of the Root” (mixed media), Khanh Tran “Self Portrait” (clay), Emily Brenizer “Oaxaca Swan” (mixed media), Jennifer Lopez “In the Midst of the Forest” (clay), Julio Garcia “Head with Clamp” (clay), Preksha Patel “Eclipse de Luna” (clay), and Cyla Jones “Self Portrait” (monotype).

Bravo to the many talented and gifted art students from Norcross High School. May the things they’ve learned and the skills they possess be something that they always have the opportunity to enjoy and share with others.