SCSC > Student Outreach: "Water is Life" Art Contest > 2007 Contest State Competition

2007 "WATER IS LIFE" ART CONTEST— STATE COMPETITION

Exceptional Art and Moving Statements Highlight
The 2007“Water is Life” State Art Contest

On May 9 the Freshwater Society was host to the third annual state “Water is Life” scholarship art contest at the Gray Freshwater Institute on the shores of Lake Minnetonka. Twenty-seven semi-finalists from south central, southeast, northeast and the western metro areas of Minnesota competed for $3,000 in scholarships. This art contest is sponsored by the Freshwater Society of Minnesota in partnership with these service cooperatives.

The semi-finalist art entries were exceptional works of art and showed creativity and thoughtfulness. The judging criteria were specific and the decisions difficult. Entries focused on the theme “Water is Life” through conservation, degradation and contamination, and futuristic resourcefulness. Art media included sculpture, photographs and flat surface art. All semi-finalists were recognized for their participation in the event with a framed certificate of participation, a trophy, and a small scholarship. The semifinalists and their entries were introduced followed by a reading of the artist’s statement visioning the theme “Water is Life”.

Congratulations to the state $1,000 scholarship winners (see photos below):

• Sishir Bommakanti – Eden Prairie High School – Melanie Ebert, Art Instructor

• Luke Lieske – Le Sueur-Henderson High School – Shannon Froehlich, Art Instructor

• Austin Loeffler – Watershed High School – Theresa Hutchison, Art Instructor

Because of the exceptional quality of submissions, two additional students earned honorable mention and received $500 scholarships (see photos below): 

• Viktoriya Ishchuk – Rochester-Mayo High School – Lisa Baker, Art Instructor

• Megan Siegle – Chaska High School – Tom Lull, Art Instructor

This year’s award winning artwork, along with the 2006 scholarship recipients, will be on display at the State Capitol, the Pollution Control Agency, and many other public venues throughout the state in the months to come.

The Freshwater Society was formed in 1968 and has been a vanguard in promoting the scientific understanding of water in addition to a responsible environmental policy.  It has also maintained an extensive art collection and promoted art to both celebrate the beauty of water, lament its environmental degradation, and described its impact on the human condition on the natural world.

For more information:
please visit: www.mnscsc.org, www.freshwater.org, or contact Joyce Swenson @ 507-389-2461, jswenson@mnscsc.org, or Jeanne Prok @ 952-472-3540, Jeanne@freshwater.org.

Photos from the 2007 State Competition (please click on each photo for a larger view)

$1,000 Scholarship winner Sishir Bommakanti and his winning painting	$1,000 Scholarship winner Austin Loeffler and his winning painting	$1,000 Scholarship winner Luke Lieske and his winning painting
$500 Scholarship winner Viktoriya Ishchuk and her winning painting	$500 Scholarship winner Megan Siegle and her winning painting
Award presentations by Richard G. Gray, Sr., Founder, Freshwater Society and Jeanne C. Prok, Program Director, Freshwater Society

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