UW-Parkside Displays High School Students’ Art

Since 2016, The University of Wisconsin-Parkside has hosted “the Art Party.” Each year, high school art students from Southeast Wisconsin are invited to exhibit the best of their work at the university. UW-Parkside was thrilled to welcome over 70 student participants and hang more than 80 works of art in the Emile Mathis Gallery. This year, fifteen schools participated from Arrowhead down to Waterford Union High School with schools from RUSD to KUSD in the middle.

The exhibition was a “juried show,” meaning three UW-Parkside art professors selected their favorite pieces in six categories. The judges awarded best painting to Grecia Tenorio from Bradford High School. “Being an award winner made me feel really special and appreciated and, like, my hard work was worth it,” Ms. Tenorio said.  

Students worked in a large variety of media—painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, digital photography, sculpture, and mixed media. Five additional students received recognition for their outstanding artwork.
 

• Alayna Sitar from Case High School won the best mixed media 3D award for her alebrijes, a fantastical cobra;
   
• Natalie Tessmer from Waterford Union High captured the best 3D prize for her finely wrought, ceramic receptacles;
   
• Lori Hernandez from Reuther Central High School snagged the award for best 2D mixed media;
   
• Anais Salcendo’s won for best drawing; and Tremper student, Caden Cross, received the best digital media award for Solitude.

Students were thrilled to exhibit their artwork in the gallery and were excited for their family and friends to view their achievements. Abigail Russel from St. Joseph Catholic Academy was pleased to see her work Rustic Melody—a moody slice of a piano keyboard—displayed. “It was really cool to see a bunch of other students’ work, and it was cool to feel appreciated,” Russel explained. She concluded by saying that she hoped one day to become an artist.

UW-Parkside invites art enthusiasts to visit the exhibition to see the amazing talent of our young artists in Southeast Wisconsin. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday between 9 am and 4 pm or by appointment. The exhibition closes on Jan. 12. For more information contact: Colin Matthes at matthes@uwp.edu.

Note: The gallery will be closed between Christmas and New Year.