Arts in Education

Student Arts Expo

Student Arts Expo: March 3 - 28, 2023

[⚠️] IMPORTANT UPDATE! [⚠️]
The Student Arts Expo Gallery Opening + Reception originally scheduled for Friday, March 3 is POSTPONED due to the threat of severe weather and in keeping with our policy to follow Dalton Public Schools for closings and cancelations. We are rescheduling the reception for March 17, but the exhibit is now open and the public is welcome to come and see it during our normal operating hours. 

Join us for a Reception on Friday, March 17 from 5:30-7pm. Free and open to all! The exhibit will remain up during the whole month of March. Galleries are open during our normal operating hours or by appointment. To arrange for field trips or group viewings, contact Amanda Walker: amandaw@creativeartsguild.org 

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2023 Spigel Prize for Excellence in the Visual Arts:
Audrey Merryman - Sculpture - Dalton High School
Wade Sitton - Photography - North Murray High School

Click Here to read more about our Spigel Prize recipients.

March is Arts in Education Month at the Creative Arts Guild and the Guild’s 60th Annual Student Arts Expo is a big part of the celebration. All public, private, and home school students in Dalton/Whitfield County and Murray County are invited to exhibit.


Congratulations to our 2023 First, Second, Third, and Honorable Mention ribbon recipients!

PreK

1st Place - Sawyer Smith, Cohutta: Untitled

2nd Place - Max Nieto, Park Creek: Rainbow Fish

3rd Place - Alexa Rowland, Roan: Penguin

 

Kindergarten

1st Place - Olivia Rowe, Chatsworth: Hopping Into Spring

2nd Place - Alexa Jimenez Lopez, Roan: Untitled

3rd Place - Ellie White, Northwest: Untitled

 

First Grade

1st Place - Caitlyn Cope, Chatsworth: Waking Up With the Moon

2nd Place - Ariella Jones, City Park: Little One

3rd Place - Emma Acuna, Westwood: Untitled

 

Second Grade

1st Place - Ariana Gordy, Varnell: Monkey

2nd Place - Bryleigh Smith, Chatsworth: Study on Romero Britto’s Style

3rd Place - Coral Crain, Westwood: Untitled

Honorable Mention - Serenity Williams, Chatsworth: Walk in the Woods During Autumn

 

Third Grade

1st Place - Claudia Rodriguez, Chatsworth: Rise and Shine

2nd Place - Yuliana Regalado, Varnell: Mandrill

3rd Place - Easton Mitchell, Varnell: Come Sail Away

HM - Eli Bishop, Chatsworth: Thinking About Grandpa

HM - Fraymi Amparo Santos, Blue Ridge: Red Bird

 

Fourth Grade

1st Place - Emily Snow, Varnell: Butterfly Glances

2nd Place - Anayi Padron, Northwest: Untitled

3rd Place - Malachi Andrews, Blue Ridge: Perfection

 

Fifth Grade

1st Place - Landon Lewis, Westwood: Untitled

2nd Place - Jackson Seaborn, Coker: Koi Fish

3rd Place - Cason Conner, Varnell: Leo

HM - Victoria Calderon, Roan: Untitled

HM - Laney Stokes, Arden Forest School: Untitled

 

Sixth Grade

1st Place - Alex Stafford, Northwest Elem: Untitled

2nd Place - Alanna Tocco, Westside Middle: Draco

3rd Place - Arleen Lopez, Hammond Creek: Untitled

HM - McKinley Campbell, Northwest Elem: Untitled

 

Seventh Grade

1st Place - Jenna Beavers, Westside Middle: The Ride

2nd Place - Giselle Nunez, Hammond Creek: Untitled

3rd Place - Arya Patel, Hammond Creek: Untitled

HM - Baileigh Lovelace, Creative Arts Guild: Quack Quack

 

Eighth Grade

1st Place - Zelda Nicholson, Arden Forest School: I Like Cheese

2nd Place - Waelyn Bailes, North Whitfield: Banana

3rd Place - Luna Cruz-Lopez, Westside Middle: The Rabbit

HM - Roselyn Patino, New Hope: Study

 

Ninth Grade

1st Place - Silas Owens, Dalton: Family of Bears

2nd Place - Gyssel Vazquez Ramos, Southest: Mixed Media Make Up

3rd Place - Emma Gilligan, Coahulla Creek: Untitled

HM - Sofia Gonzalez, Northwest: Woven Red Panda

 

Tenth Grade

1st Place - Helen Nguyen, Dalton: Untitled

2nd Place - Wadein Willingham, North Murray: Xenomorph

3rd Place - Karleen Chastain, Dalton: Untitled

HM - Keely Nguyen, Dalton: Castle

 

Eleventh Grade

1st Place - Jade Thompson, North Murray: Sleeping Bear

2nd Place - Kylee Ross, North Murray: Strawberry Delight

3rd Place - Janet Hernandez, Southeast: Watercolor Landscape

HM - Nathalia Cervantes, Dalton: Untitled

 

Twelfth Grade

1st Place - Katie Pack, North Murray: Decrepit Bog

2nd Place - Yasmin Bryant, Northwest: Last Kiss of Starcrossed Lovers

3rd Place - Jorge Ramirez, Dalton: Out of the World Set

HM - Zaedin Asumus, Dalton: Infinity Tree

HM - Emily Hobbs, Murray County: Decay


General Guidelines:

Pre K – Grade 5  
Each school may submit 5 pieces per grade level.  One work per student. Please limit to no more than 2 pieces of a project to encourage a diversified gallery.  

Grades 6 – 8  
Each school may send 4 pieces per grade level.  One work per student.      

All two-dimensional artworks  for Pre-K - 8 must be mounted on construction paper no larger than 20” x 24”.  We have a limited number of tables available for three dimensional artworks. All entries must have an identification tag which corresponds to the school’s inventory list.  (Linked Below)

Grades 9 – 12  
Each  school may enter work up to max of 16 entries; 4 per grade level, one per student.     

All two-dimensional  artworks  must be securely mounted on mat board and must be able to be installed by push pins or  placed  on  an easel provided by the school. All framed artwork must be wired for hanging  or placed on an easel provided by the school.  Please contact Amanda Walker regarding oversized work perameters. 

INSTALLATION  
All teachers are responsible for hanging their own work. The Spigel winner is responsible for installing their exhibit under the supervision of the Arts in Education and Executive Directors.  To preserve our walls please bring work that can be secured with push pins (supplied by the Creative Arts Guild).  Framed pieces should be displayed on easels or be appropriately wired for hanging. If your students need an easel for display, plan to provide your own. All artwork must be tagged on the front of the work and listed on the inventory sheet (see enclosed tags and inventory sheet).  PLEASE note that Students can sell their work if they choose. It just needs to be listed on their tag and on the inventory sheet. (Please remind them that they will NOT get their piece back if it sells)  

INVENTORY FORMS  
Please have the identification tags and inventory sheet(s) completed  prior  to bringing art work to the Creative Arts Guild.   Inventory sheets must be provided for each school by grade level,  including ART TOGETHER  entries.  An inventory form must be completed for each  Bernice Spigel Scholarship artist.  

AWARDS  
First, second, third place ribbons will be awarded in each grade level. Awards are made based on the student’s ability to use the materials, an understanding of art history or the student’s place in his/her world and innovative individual expression.  At least one judge from outside the local education arena will make the selections.  

Art Together Collaborative Classroom Competition Guidelines:

The Creative Arts Guild and O.N. Jonas Foundation sponsor an arts competition for collaborative classroom projects. The winning classroom in each division will receive a $100 award to be used for an artist in residence fee, art supplies or other classroom art activity resources during the school year.    

Each school may submit up to one entry per grade group.       

Categories:  Grades Pre K - 2; Grades 3 - 5; Grades 6 - 8; Grades 9 -12  

Artwork is displayed as part of Student Arts Expo.  Please ensure that the artwork and subject matter are appropriate for children pre-school age and up. Entries may be two or three dimensional.  All entries must include the appropriate hanging material and signage denoting title, school, grade level, and teacher’s name.  Entry forms must include students’ names, school, grade level and teacher’s name. Each school is responsible for delivery, installation, and pick-up of entries at the Creative Arts Guild in accordance with the timeline included for the regular art exhibit.  Each winning classroom in the above categories will receive a $100 award.

Bernice Spigel Prize For Excellence in Visual Arts

Now in its 23rd year, the Bernice Spigel Prize for Excellence in the Visual Arts was created to honor the amazing work done for the arts in our community by the Creative Arts Guild's first Executive Director and encourage more talented young people in Dalton/Whitfield and Murray Counties to explore the arts. After a stint at a New York ad agency where she worked with artists such as Andy Warhol, Bernice Spigel came to Dalton and nurtured the Creative Arts Guild through its infancy. Her decades in Dalton were marked by a selfless advocacy of the arts, education, and children's causes. This $1000 award is eligible to any public, private, or home-schooled Senior residing or attending school in Dalton/Whitfield or Murray County. See the info packet linked below for more specific information and guidelines.

Guidelines and Forms

Student Arts Expo Info Packet

Bernice Spigel Prize Info Packet

Important Dates:

Spigel Prize In The Visual Arts Senior Portfolios Due For Judging: Thursday, February 9
Additional Spigel Prize dates listed in Award Guidelines
Install - All Grades Monday, February 27 - Wednesday, March 1
10am-6pm
Gallery Opening & Reception

Friday, March 3, 5:30 - 7:00pm
Free and Open to All

Exhibit Dates March 3 - March 24
Our Galleries are open during our normal operating hours or by appointment. Please contact Amanda Walker to arrange field trips or other special viewings.
Collaborative Art Pick Up

Monday, March 27 - Wednesday, March 29
All Work Must Be Picked Up By Friday, March 31 at 4pm