CRAFT: Three Poly students win the Library Law Art Contest by creating unique art pieces.
By Natalie Apostol, Staff Writer
Art is a form of expression that can evoke certain emotions and opinions from the artist’s audience. It allows viewers to draw their own opinions and conclusions of the artwork as the designer offers their angle on a topic. Poly’s Art Design teacher, Elizabeth Morrow, gave students the opportunity to showcase his or her efforts in the Library Law Art Contest. The artists were provided with the prompt, “Libraries transform all people, from birth to earth, and are the glue that holds communities together […] From providing educational opportunities with a full range of multimedia learning resources to equipping life-long learners with the ability to interpret and evaluate information, libraries and librarians make valuable contributions to their communities.” The objective was to interpret the statement in their work of art that would be judged by Superior Court judges.
“The judging was done by a panel of Superior Court Judges and based on the following criteria: originality, relevance of theme, presentation/appearance, and use of space and media. The work submitted by the winners was original and relevant to the theme,” Mrs. Morrow explained.
Though many talented artists submitted creative illustrations that met the requirements, three gifted Poly students placed in the contest: first place, Sophia Cabrera (11), runner-up, Rudy Ayala (12), and second runner-up, Anna Boldt (11)
Sophia Cabrera entitled her piece, Koob a Daer or “Read a Book” spelled backwards. It featured a drawing of a central figure in gray tones with pink color in the cheeks, while the background includes primary colors such as red, blue, and yellow. The color scheme “shows how unaware he is of the books but still with pink cheeks symbolizing the curiosity about the library. The primary colors in the background show that books are where everything started,” Cabrera explained.
The students used art to shed light on the powerful impact libraries and librarians have on the community. Not only did each entrant have the opportunity to create pieces with the thematic statement, but they also had the chance to reveal their passion for art to the community. “Art is for anyone searching for a purpose [in life] by expressing themselves and not for anyone else. Pure selfish reasons to continue to create art,” Cabrera expressed .
The Law Library Art Contest winners expressed their gratitude towards librarians for providing educational opportunities for the community but also showed passion for art. By creating the illustrations for judges and the public, art proves to be a powerful form of expression.