Students seek inspiration for Kaysinger art contest

The colorful fall leaves created a spectacular background for dozens of area high school students participating in the annual Kaysinger Conference High School Art Contest on Wednesday morning.

The students, from eight area schools, gathered at the Harry S. Truman Lake Visitors Center in Warsaw to participate in the all-day event. Equipped with large sheets of paper and a variety of art supplies, the teens settled in to create original pieces of artwork. The budding artists had two hours to capture the trees, leaves or buildings and turn them into artwork using pastels, graphite, charcoal, ink, colored pencils or mixed media.
Members of the Warsaw High School art club judged the finished pieces and the winners received ribbons and trophies.

Stover High School sophomore A.J. Campbell, 15, chose to sketch a large mushroom sprouting from the forest floor. She drew a twiggy tree alongside the mushroom using only a pencil.

“I chose pencil because it is easier for me,” she said. “I’ve been using pencil since I began drawing at the age of 3.”

Campbell said she enjoys art because it has no boundaries. “I can express myself freely,” she said.

Cole Camp High School student Cole Baker worked intently to draw one of the many structures located on the scenic grounds. Baker, 14, used pen and ink to portray the building in detail. “I like old buildings but I can draw anything,” Baker said.

Stover High School senior Troy McClellen, 18, chose to concentrate on the wood-shingled roof of another building in the park. McClellen said he painted a window in the same building last year.

“I like monochromatic art,” he said, “and I like drawing barns because that’s my thing.”

McClellen, who will graduate in January 2010, plans to attend State Fair Community College.

“I love art,” he said. “I know I want to be a teacher, but I’m not sure if I will teach art.”

Using charcoal, 18-year-old Holly Casey, drew a grouping of trees.

“Trees are my element,” she said.

Green Ridge art teacher Lori Larimore said she enjoys participating in the Kaysinger Conference High School Art Contest.

“This contest gives my students the opportunity to meet other area art students,” she said.

Lincoln High School art teacher and contest coordinator, Janice Thomas, said the Truman Lake Visitors Center was a great location to hold the event because of the variety of buildings, trees and other scenery.

“The students get to work outside,” she said, “and they enjoy it.”

Thomas has been participating in the contest for 17 years.

Thomas said the art contest also gives the students the opportunity to showcase their talent.

“This (contest) gives the students the chance to apply their classroom knowledge to a piece of outdoor artwork,” she said.