By Deemah Pulak
Sophomore Gwyneth James nervously waited for her grandmother to pick up three pieces of paper from the 20 laid faced down on a table in rectangles, each containing a noun. With those three words, James would create a drawing that now hangs at the Dallas Museum of Art as a Young Masters artwork.
“I couldn’t think of any ideas, so I thought it’d be different and interesting to see how I’d do with it,” James said. “It was definitely a risk because I promised myself I had to use those three words written on the papers to draw my piece.”
Funded by the O’Donnell Foundation, the Young Masters art competition selects artwork created by high school students in Dallas. Categorized as studio art, art history or music theory, the artwork is exhibited at the Dallas Museum of Art. All Magnet AP Art students are required to participate in the competition.
“I just entered the contest for fun. I wasn’t all that serious about it,” James said. “I loved drawing, so I did it.”
Seniors Zachary Butcher and Addison Thames also qualified for the exhibit.
“I was really surprised because I didn’t spend much time on it,” Thames said. “I didn’t expect to make it because I heard it was a really tough competition.”
Senior Kameron Henry was selected for the Young Masters Music Theory category, which requires students to submit an original four-minute composition.
“When I found out, I couldn’t believe it – it was unreal,” Kameron said. “You can call anything you want to be art even through music.”
This year, there were 1147 entries with only 42 qualifiers.
“When I found out I made it I was shocked and jumping for joy,” James said. “I went up to my dad and bragged in his face. It was funny, but he was so proud.”
James ended up with the words “water,” “sea” and “plants” and began her one month-long journey of creating the piece.
“I had tons of homework and projects, and I had to stay up a couple late nights,” James said. “It was all worth it in the end when I found out I was selected.”
James’ piece was called “Aquarius.” She drew a sea, which included things that people would not expect to see in real life.
“I tried to change it in a completely different way. I didn’t want to put in sharks and jellyfish because that’s boring,” James said. “I wanted to draw something that could not exist and so that’s what I tried to do.”
James said she fell in love with art when she learned how to use a pencil when she was three.
“It’s just creative – the way you express yourself – because there’s so much to do with art,” James said. “Not just with photoshop, but with painting, crayons and markers, and even with your own hands and fingertips. You can experiment with it and elaborate on it. It’s beautiful.”
For Butcher, art has helped him express his ideas more clearly.
“It has given me the opportunity to put everything on a piece of paper no matter how messy it is,” Butcher said. “I especially love drawing abstract types of art in my free time because I think they’re cool looking and fun.”
James is one of the only sophomores to qualify for the exhibit, which is usually dominated by juniors and seniors.
“People might think I’m kind of young, but I don’t stop,” James said. “I keep pushing myself and keep thinking creative. I don’t let anyone tell me my art isn’t good enough to be in the museum.”
Butcher said the competition inspired him to work harder.
“This competition taught me that I can actually win and advance to competitions like these,” Butcher said. “I wasn’t expecting it, but when I found out, it inspired me because I had the encouragement. “
Butcher said his 7th grade art teacher’s criticism was what changed him.
“He’s been my main source of inspiration ever since the day he told me my drawing was terrible,” Butcher said. “He was always critiquing me to do better, but it was good in a way so I could improve.”
As a senior, Thames said that she wants to continue with art after high school.
“I really want to continuously keep drawing and show people what I love to do and hopefully sell some pieces,” Thames said.
To aspiring artists, James says to never let anyone push you down.
“Keep doing what you’re doing and don’t let anyone tell you stop, just keep doing it,” James said. “Just go crazy with it. Art’s beautiful and that’s what the world needs.”
Art teacher Sonia Krusleski said this year’s entries were exceptional.
“This is a very big deal, and we’ve been blessed to have kids in it every year,” Krusleski said. ‘They deserve the recognition to have their work in the Dallas Museum of Art – it’s a prestigious honor.”
Thames said that art is about expressing yourself and not just drawing a good picture.
“Don’t think you’re not good at drawing because what you’re drawing has some value in it, and that’s art,” Thames said. “When you’re drawing, it’s your own drawing that you use to express yourself.”