News : Meghan Owens, Emily Miller win Best of Show honors at WaMaC Art Fair

Emily Miller: Best of Show, 2D

Meghan Owens: Best of Show, 3D

These VSHS Art students displayed their work at 2011 WaMaC Art Fair.

Meghan Owens used for her inspiration a famous, 425-year-old painting.

Emily Miller used a mirror.

Meghan used clay to make a 3D image of The Birth of Venus.

Emily used a variety of colors to make a 2D self-portrait.

Both came home from the WaMaC art show with the same honor: Best of Show.

The Vinton-Shellsburg seniors were among nearly 20 VSHS students who entered art projects in the annual WaMaC Art Fair on Tuesday. This year's event took place at Clear Creek-Amana.

Meghan said her interest in art began in Kindergarten and will continue in college, where she will major in biology but also take some art classes.

Last year, Meghan finished second behind another VSHS artist, Dylan Vaughn, who also won Best of Show in 3D. See that story from last year's show HERE.

This year, she used the 1486 painting of the Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli as the inspiration for her 3D project.

Emily has also enjoyed art for many years. She won a first place honor at the 2009 WaMaC Art Fair, as a sophomore.

Teachers Chris Juhl and Ann Diedrichsen accompanied the students on the trip.

"It was all quality work," said Deidrichsen.

The art projects will be on display during the annual Cabaret concert at the high school on May 14th.

Below are the names of the art students in the group photo, along with the awards they received from the Art Fair.

Back row, from left: Tiffany Auen,. Haily Dulin, Hannah Looney (third place, fiber arts),. Meghan Owens (3D Best of Show and first place, non-utilitarian ceramics), Andy Roster, Miranda Swallom (second place, print-making), Spring Heckmann, (second place, ceramics non-utilitarian), Natalie Ketchen (third place, oil painting), Alex Springer, Blake Lough.

Front row: Caitlin Loney (first place, pencil drawing), Rita Fraise (third palce, pastel), Emily Cashman, Mat Uthoff, Emily Miller (2D Best of Show, first place mixed media 2D), Stephanie Auen, Mikayla Dearden, Erin Spangler, Samantha Jorgensen (second place, digital imaging).