CHARLOTTE — Two Visual Arts students from Charlotte Catholic High School recently received prestigious national awards through the Scholastic Art Awards competition. Senior Bella Garner and sophomore Perris Bowling were awarded Silver Medals in the National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition.
In the 2017 Mid-Carolinas Regional competition, Bowling’s and Garner’s photographic printmaking received Gold Key Awards. Gold Key recipients automatically advance to the national competition. Of the 1,800 Mid-Carolinas Gold Key recipients, only 37 students received national awards.
“Perris and Bella are among the top one percent of Scholastic Art award recipients in 2017 – nationally,” said photography teacher Joann Keane. “Photographic printmaking is one of the more recent photographic processes introduced at CCHS. Photography is ever-evolving as technology advances rapidly and in so many directions. In this fast-paced digital world, to see students gravitate to photo-artistic opportunities that utilize more hands-on methods is amazing and gratifying.”
“And, thanks to the generosity of the CCHS Foundation, we’ve been able to expand photographic printmaking opportunities, utilizing grant funds for both a wider format dye sublimation printer and larger press,” she added.
Garner and Bowling are the second and third National Scholastic Art Award recipients in the history of Charlotte Catholic. In 2015, Maddie Susi received a National Gold for her photography. In an interesting twist, Garner’s printmaking image is a photo of Maddie.
“Bella and Paris have made us all very proud,” said Principal Kurt Telford. “To see them honored in the top 1 percent nationally is just terrific.”
— Carolyn Kramer Tillman