As the 2013 judging for the Youth Governor’s Art Exhibitioncomes to a close, the director reflects on the future of the show
Natasha Ringnalda, ’13
Patty Huntley, ’13
Walking into UAHS on a typical Saturday morning turns into the viewing nearly 1,200 pieces of artwork entered into The Governor’s Youth Art Exhibition’s region one judging day. Paintings fill the hallways along with many other mediums of artwork, all crammed together and awaiting the possibility of placing in the first round of this competition.
The 2013 regional judging occurred March 3, followed by the state judging March 9. UAHS hosted region one for the last time after seven years. Thad Ricker, a Hilliard Davidson High School art teacher and director of the exhibition, said event organizers are now searching for a new hosting venue for region one judging of The Governor’s Youth Art Exhibition.
UAHS art teachers Mark Nagel and Alicia McGinty said they have decided to no longer continue hosting one of the 15 regional judgings that take place on the same day to move on to the state competition. This, they say, is due to family commitments.
Even though the judgings will no longer be held at UAHS next year, McGinty said the change in location will have little effect on students.
“While the hosting of the regional and state judging here at UA has allowed the teachers and students to easily drop off and pick up their artwork, the change of venue should not affect the UA students at all,” McGinty said. “Next year the teachers and students will deliver their artwork to another school in the region and the art will go through the same process.”
The competition, which has been running for 43 years, is open to all Ohio high school students. Categories include sculpture, mixed media, fibers, painting, video and drawing. These categories are separated into different locations within each judging region in order for the judges to view all of the submissions from each category at once.
“At the state level, judges are recommended by the sponsoring institutions [and are] usually [teachers] from their school,” Ricker said. “Submissions [for a judging position] are reviewed by me and selections are made to create a balance: men and women, 2-D and 3-D backgrounds.”
This year 30 students from UAHS went through onto the regional judging level. Thirteen students then placed in the top 300. Josh Jackson placed in the top 25 and Natasha Ringnalda’s work will be viewed in the governor’s office. This is out of the 2, 500 chosen pieces from the regional judging where 12,000 entries were submitted among the 15 regions.
After this year, some students believe a new location could have negative effects on UAHS’ art students. Junior Sean Garrett, a ceramics student, has entered his artwork in the Governor’s Show for the past two years. He believes the change in location may take away the motivation to compete for some students.
“The Governor’s Show gave this school a great sense of pride and accomplishment,” Garrett said. “With it now moved[students] might work less and submit less because the opinion of the show will fade.”
Additionally, students looked at the competition as a way to further themselves academically, because students who place in the show have the opportunity to receive scholarships. Garrett said the show has had a significant impact on his artistic pursuits and ways to achieve them.
“I’m majoring in ceramics in college, so I had wanted to see how my artistic abilities could match others,” Garrett said. “Also, I had heard of the different opportunities awarded to those who go far in the competition, so obviously that was somewhat of a push to have me enter my pieces.”
Although the competition is a way to get one’s art displayed and discovered by schools, placing in either the regional or state show does not guarantee a scholarship from any particular college.
“Scholarships are offered to seniors by over 30 universities and colleges of art,” according to govart.org. “The selection of students to be offered scholarships is left strictly up to those institutions who offer them.”
According to Ricker, if the show cannot be held at Hilliard Davidson as a last resort, then there is a chance that the show may not be held at all. He believes the show should be held in central Ohio, restricting the options, and that finding teachers willing to host may be another difficulty.
“I am hopeful we will find a place to hold the judgings, it really needs to be held at a high school in the central Ohio area,” Ricker said. “It is a lot of work, so teachers might be hesitant to add this to what they already do.”
Not having the Governor’s Show in 2014 could be a possible letdown for many of Ohio’s high school students involved in art, according to Garrett, as they would be losing a chance to view one another’s art, compete for placement in the judging and potentially recieve scholarships from schools.
“I believe this show has made a large impact within the art community within this high school,” Garrett said.
Garrett views the Governor’s Show as a beneficial aspect for competition among students, that they would otherwise not have.
“During school there isn’t competition between students, so this show gives us a different and important experience,” Garrett said.
From competition to experience, the Governor’s Youth Art Exhibition is a great way to start up an artist’s career, according to Ricker. The show allows students the opportunity to receive scholarships for colleges of art and to begin their road to success.
“Entering shows is part of what artists do, so this is good experience for student artists. For those who are recognized, I hope it is a positive and encouraging thing,” Ricker said. “For those who do not get work selected I am sure it is disappointing, but hope they are not discouraged from making art.”