Eastern Oregon Regional High School Art Exhibition Recognizes Outstanding Student Artists

Eastern Oregon Regional High School Art Exhibition Recognizes Outstanding Student Artists

LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon Regional High School Art Exhibition opened on Friday, February 21, showcasing more than 200 artworks from students at 14 regional high schools. Awards were presented by Nightingale Gallery Faculty Director Cory Peeke, celebrating student creativity and the dedicated educators who support them.

Best of Show Awards

Awards were given for outstanding work by students in grades 9-12. Each Best of Show winner received a certificate, a $50 Dick Blick Art Supply gift card, a sketchbook from the EOU Art Department, and an EOU tote bag with additional swag from the Office of Admissions.

• 12th Grade: Eleanor Gisi (La Grande High) – “Red Landscape” (Acrylic Painting)
• 11th Grade: Riley Hurliman (Baker High) – “After Matthius Maius” (Painting)
• 10th Grade: Kenna Kinzer (McLoughlin High) – “Alice” (Mixed Media)
• 9th Grade: Brielle McCrae (Powder Valley High) – “Beyond the Keyhole” (Digital Photograph)

Honorable Mentions

Each Honorable Mention recipient received a certificate of award.

• Baker High:
  • Kegan Bott (11th grade) – “Contrasts” (Drawing)
  • Cooper Foersterling (11th grade) – “Ramen Bowl” (Ceramic Sculpture)
  • Lillyanna Wilson (12th grade) – “Cuckoo Clock” (Ceramic Sculpture)
• McLoughlin High:
  • Yasmin Diaz (11th grade) – “Our Lady of Sorrows” (Drawing)
  • Sinai Martinez (12th grade) – “Peaches” (Collage)
• Monument High:
  • Natalya Smith (12th grade) – “Creature Feature” (Sculpture)
• Pendleton High:
  • Madison Grigsby (12th grade) – “Framed Horizons” (Photography)
  • Zarina Park (11th grade) – “Aquarium” (Painting)
  • Zoe White (12th grade) – “Pocket Full of Posies” (Ceramic Sculpture)
• Powder Valley High:
  • Brittain Combs (10th grade) – “Eye in the Stormy Desert” (Mixed Media)
• Union High:
  • Chloe Mason (10th grade) – “Toshiba” (Ceramic Sculpture)

La Grande Arts Commission Awards

For the 17th year, the La Grande Arts Commission (LGAC) recognized students from La Grande High:

• Best of Show – La Grande High Award: Kallin Burgess – “Wrapped in Wonder” (Painting) ($200 gift basket)
• Judges’ Choice Award: Eloise Bjork – “Thief” (Painting) ($100 gift basket)

Awards were selected and presented by LGAC Commissioner Taylor Scroggins.

Regional Art Center Awards

Four regional art centers presented special awards:

• Art Center East (ACE) Excellence in the Arts Awards:
  • Union County: Liberty Albers (11th grade, Union High) – “Cozy Cabin” (Ceramic Sculpture)
  • Grant County: Lilly Paddock (10th grade, Grant Union High) – “Lill Berries” (Fused Glass)
  • Harney County: Cielo Valdez-Celis (12th grade, Crane Union High) – “To Catch a Sunset” (Painting)
  • Each ACE winner received an art kit.
• Crossroads Carnegie Art Center – Outstanding Baker High School Student Award:
  • Hannah Lay (12th grade, Baker High) – “God of the Sea” (Ceramic Sculpture) ($50 award)
• Pendleton Center for the Arts (PCA) – PCA Award of Distinction:
  • Alyssa Oertwich (12th grade, Pendleton High) – “Self Portrait” (Digital Photograph) ($100 award)
• Josephy Center for Arts and Culture – Wallowa County High School Best of Show Award:
  • Ezra Storlie (Enterprise High) – “Carved by the Road” (Graphite and Charcoal) ($100 Dick Blick gift card)

Judging and Presentation

• ACE award winners were selected and presented by Jennifer Durr, ACE Gallery Director.
• Crossroads winner was selected by Angela Blair, Community Art Director, and presented by Cory Peeke on behalf of Executive Director Ginger Savage.
• The Pendleton Center award was selected by PCA Executive Director Roberta Lavadour.
• Josephy Center award was selected by the EOU Art Faculty and presented by Cory Peeke.

The EOU Art Department and Nightingale Gallery congratulate all award winners and extend appreciation to the educators who make this exhibition possible.

You can check out the winning artists’ works on the Nightingale’s Instagram account.

“On behalf of the EOU Art Department and the Nightingale Gallery I would like to congratulate the winners and all the students with work on view,” said Cory Peeke, Faculty Director, Nightingale Gallery, “and I would also like to congratulate the art teachers who go above and beyond to make this event the success it is each year.” 

The following is a list of those teachers:

Baker City High School – Holly Coleman
Burns High School l- Emily Kokesh
Crane Union High School – Connie Robbins
Echo High School – Rick Thew
Elgin High School- Beth Wasley
Enterprise High School- Dianne Pfel
Grant Union High School – JJ Collier
Joseph Charter School – Jennifer Hawkins
La Grande High School – Rich McIlmoil
McLoughlin High School (Milton-Freewater) – Marianne Smith
Monument High School – Erica Cade
Pendleton High School – Abby Prevot
Powder Valley High School – Jessie Street
Union High School – Jaime Gustavson

The 2024 Eastern Oregon Regional High School Exhibition runs through March 14. The Nightingale Gallery is located in Loso Hall on the campus of Eastern Oregon University in La Grande, OR.  Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m..  
To request images of artwork for publication please contact Gallery Director Cory Peeke at cpeeke@eou.edu.