For three local art students, the idea of drawing simple stick figures was a challenging endeavor for them. But thanks to a now vibrant art program, an instructor who believed in them and uncovering their hidden talent…the work of those students is now on display at the Mississippi Museum of Art.
Three Yazoo County High School students are among some of the top young artists in the state who placed in the annual Scholastic Art Awards. Thousands of entries arrived for competition within the almost-century old program, and Yazoo County has three who walked away with awards and other students were named Honorable Mention.
Silver Key Award winners include YCHS juniors Kandi Brookins, Jasmine Brookins and Bethany Miller. Their work will be on display at the state art museum in Jackson until March 20.
Visual Arts Instructor Laurie Lynch said she is very excited to see the progress of the three winners and of the entire art program at Yazoo County High School. The recent local winners are the first in over a decade for Yazoo County High School students placing in the art competition.
“When I came here 14 years ago, there was no art program,” Lynch said. “I am so proud of these girls. So many students have so much hidden talent that they don’t even know is there. But through instruction, trial and error, they see themselves getting better and better. Seeing them come alive through their work is so rewarding.”
Kandi Brookins, 16, won a Silver Key Award for her painting, Cotton’s Glory. Her sister, Jasmine Brookings, 17, also won a Silver Key Award for her painting Self-Portrait and her scratchboard Scratch a Hoot. Miller, 18, was also a recipient of a Silver Key Award for her painting Lareina.
Within the county high school, a few students were also named Honorable Mention.
All three students admit that when they first joined Lynch’s art program, they could barely draw stick figures. But now the students are making a name for themselves in several different art mediums, gaining the confidence to explore even more.
“This class made me want to explore all mediums of art, not just the basic material,” said Kandi Brookins. “For my first year, I went into it with small steps. But then I started noticing myself moving up. Trust me, you won’t stay basic for long.”
The students also credit Lynch with motivating them to try new things, diving in headfirst into the art world.
“She never tells you ‘no,’” Jasmine Brookins said. “She encourages you to try everything, even if it doesn’t work out the way you wanted it to.”
“You have to go with the flow,” Miller added. “Who knows what you can make if you just go with it.”
Kandi Brookins said her favorite experiment involved working with different textures.
“At first I was nervous to try it,” she said. “But once I got over being nervous, I realized that there is so much more I could do with textures. You can create anything. Art is so much more than just simple painting.”
Whereas her sister enjoys textures, Jasmine Brookins said she loves experimenting with color combinations.
“There are so many different forms of art you can explore,” Jasmine said. “There is nothing stopping you.”
The Awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, whose mission is to identify students with exceptional artistic and literary talent and present their remarkable work to the world through the program. Students receive opportunities for recognition, exhibition, publication and scholarship.
Students’ submissions are blindly judged by leaders in the visual and literary arts. Jurors look for works that exemplify the Awards’ core values: originality, technical skill, and the emergence of personal voice or vision.
The idea that their work is on display for viewing at the state art museum?
“Surreal,” Miller replied. “I never thought my work would be on display at a museum like this.”
“I was so shocked,” Jasmine added. “I never knew that I could even draw, but to have my work on display at a museum is still so surprising to me.”
The Scholastic Art Awards Ceremony will be aired on the MMA’s Facebook page and YouTube channel on March 20 from 2-4 p.m.
For now, the students will continue exploring their techniques, experimenting with new mediums and developing their love for a world they never knew existed; a world brought to them with Lynch handing them a pencil, offering an encouraging word and a pushing them into success.
“Let the art speak for itself,” Miller said. “Let it talk. The world will listen.”
