Every year, Santa Clara County Parks in California holds a Youth Art Contest in honour of Earth Day. This year, the theme was to either Illustrate what Earth Day Means to you, or to show how you would reduce the use of disposable plastics in your home. The contest was open to anyone in the United States, for grades Pre-K to 12 (with each grade having its own winner). Finalists each received a “special prize,” alongside one Grand Prize winner. Additionally, winning artwork from the Earth Day Art Contest Winners had the possibility to be displayed in parks around Santa Clara County.

Amongst the numerous entries, we are excited to announce three winners and two honorable mentions from Art World School!

Starting with the Honorable Mentions, we have Navira, who got the Honorable mention for First Grade with her Marker drawing showing what Earth Day means to her and adding whimsy to the environment around her. Navira has been attending our One-on-one classes and 90-minute Group Classes for a couple of years now, and it’s been great to see her improve as an artist.

Next, we have our sixth-grade honorable mention, Arina. She created a beautifully detailed colored pencil piece seen below, with the Earth cradled in a bed of grass and flowers. Arina worked hard on this in our 90-minute Group Classes and continues to astound with her marker and colored pencil work.

Next, we have our winners! Charlotte submitted a highly detailed oil-pastel piece which won the kindergarten category. Depicting an imaginative stained-glass shelled turtle, you can really see the amount of time she put into this piece. Charlotte has been attending our 90-minute group classes and our No School/Summer Camps, and her passion for art always shines through.

Sydney won the First Grade portion with a Colored Pencil piece tackling the use of plastics in the home and society. Her close-up drawing of hands is a highlight of the drawing, and masterful coloring and lighting for her age group no doubt contributed to her winning. Sydney has been attending our 90-minute group classes.

Last but not least, Aarna won the Second Grade prize with a Pastel Piece featuring the popular PSA Character Smokey the Bear. Standing with his shovel in a sunny mountainside forest, there’s excellent detail especially in the shadows on Smokey. Aarna worked on this throughout multiple 90-minute Group classes with guidance from our Director Mimi and other teachers at Art World School, and did a great job recreating the titular character.

Congratulations once again to all of our winners and honorable mentions! Our students worked hard and passionately as usual to get submissions done for this contest, and we’re always excited to see what they’ll do next.