Students plant seeds in garden of artistic creativity during area show

Art in the Garden presented West’s aspiring artists, as well as local professionals, an appropriately beautiful backdrop to display their creations. On April 6-7, the Hilton Garden Inn hosted an art exhibit attended by Oshkosh high school students. 

Following public voting throughout the weekend, several West artists attended the awards ceremony on April 7 and came away with recognition of their efforts.

West swept the competition in the 3D category as sophomore Tenna Reutten took first, senior Alaina Anonich placed second, and sophomore Lauren Ebben came in third.  Junior Austin Albrecht took home first place in the 2D category, followed by senior Emily Lett with third place in 2D. Finally, junior Isabelle Tibbits placed first in photo/digital art, and junior Brandi Root achieved the highest honor of Best in Show.

Anonich is grateful for the opportunity to present her work.

“It was crazy to get second place for my sculpture, and a really neat experience,” she said.

The process of creating show-worthy art is not always straightforward, according to Anonich.

“The sculpture was a fortunate accident. I was trying to think of something a little unsettling and an eyeball came to mind; it was mostly figuring out how to balance everything so it wouldn’t tip over,” she said.

Best in show winner Brandi Root appreciates the set up of the Art in the Garden show in particular.

“I like how they have the adult and the high school art all over; it's very well organized, and I like the pretty scenery and that it has a good variety of art,” she said.

Winning best in show for the second year in a row is a great accomplishment that Root accomplished by taking her time on her pieces to ensure every detail is present in the painting. 

“I did the painting last year, I worked on it over the summer a lot, and eventually brought it back to school and was able to put it in the show,” she said.

Local artist Paul Dominguez of Watertown appreciates shows like Art in the Garden for both professional and high school artists alike. 

“It’s good for the artist to showcase their work, also to get the people out to see it because everybody’s stuck at home and they see things on TV, but to see art in real life and meet the people is important,” he said. 

Dominguez believes showcasing a variety of unique art is crucial in today’s increasingly monotonous, trend-driven world. 

“Some shows don’t include the diversity and they’ll be loaded with the same art and that can get dull or repetitive,” he said.

Dominguez appreciates that the Art in the Garden Show has a versatile arrangement, unlike others in the area, addressing the need for diversity in the community.

“If you include all different types of art, people are more likely to stop and look at all of it, instead of saying ‘I’ve seen it’,” he said. “That’s what makes art interesting, when people see it and say ‘I’ve never seen something like this before’,”

For some, such as local artist Theresa Books, the endless possibilities that artists can create are what impress her about the Art in the Garden Show.

“There’s such a variety of artwork to be seen; there’s so many things that can be designed, so many inspirations that people have, a lot of times from trips that they take, their life, and what’s happening in their life,” she said.

Dominguez recognizes the value of high school artists being represented.

“I enjoy seeing high school art being showcased because I get to see what the kids are creating, and we don’t always get to see what students are doing anymore,” he said. 

Art connects people in different ways. For Books, it’s the joy of creating that sparks her interest in the craft.

“Art is very fun, encouraging, and interesting, and so it’s fun for the artist to be able to share what they do, what they make, and for the people to see that,” she said.

Inspiration can be drawn from many aspects of life; for Books, the natural beauty of the world is what has kept her painting throughout life.

“I really love colors and enjoy painting. I took some painting classes years ago and then pursued it in college, and then had kids, and then did some painting and teaching during that time, and now I have more time to pursue it so I’ve been painting a lot more these days,” she said.

The skills learned through the arts are important in a student’s career, according to Books.

“Creativity is a part of every job; students should enjoy that creativity at a young age and enjoy the break that it gives them from just mental and computer tasks,” she said

Art teaches both mental and physical lessons that students carry with them for the rest of their lives.

“Art that is especially more tactile that they can do with their hands, it works their minds to share what they see with others,” Books said.

The importance of art in schools is often overlooked and not prioritized in a student’s schedule, even though it teaches lessons like no other craft. 

“We should encourage young students and people to begin creating art in some way. Art makes sure your mind is creative and working, and if your mind’s not working, you’re not challenging yourself,” Dominguez said.

Brandi Root- “I like how they have the adult and the highschool art all over, it's very well organized, and I like the pretty scenery and that it has a good variety of art”

“I did the painting last year, I worked on it over the summer a lot, and eventually brought it back to school and was able to put it in the show”

by Ciera Striley and Delaney Smith

Published April 29 2024

Oshkosh West Index Volume 120 Issue VII