Wylie Artists Aspire to Vie for VASE Awards

Amy Totoe

This month some of Wylie’s very own art students will submit their work into VASE (Visual Arts Scholastic Events), a state art competition.  The competition started in 1994 with 400+ entries and  blossomed to 35,000 hopeful artists in 2018. This year the students will finish applying their pieces by the end of January and start competing in February. Samantha Nelson and other art-enthusiasts believe that ” VASE allows students to show their individual creativity, craftsmanship, and ideas.”

The contest has a variety of rules and regulations that students must adhere; such as, a student may only enter at most two pieces of artwork. Not only do the rules apply to art but academics as well. According to VASE High School Rules and Policies 2019-20, students must meet the TEA UIL Side by Side Academic Requirements. All work must be original; no published images or song lyrics are allowed. Different pieces of artwork have different criteria. For example, a two dimensional piece can’t be bigger than  24 in. X 36 in.; however, a three-dimensional artwork cannot be 24 inches high. Despite all this, “students are able to create what comes to their mind: culture, personality, or maybe something completely opposite” Nelson affirmed. Once the art is submitted, it is then judged on execution, technique, research, aesthetics, and personal expression. During Saturdays in February, regional events are held.  In VASE, students have a unique opportunity in regionals to talk to judges for eight minutes about their pieces. Another distinctive factor of VASE is that jurors write positive encouragement as well as advice to applicants. Based on credits, there are four divisions in which art can be  presented: 1,2,3, and 4. There are also four scoring classifications in regional vase: I (emerging) to IV (excellent). Students that are given a Rating IV-Superior are judged again to dictate who moves on to state. Although VASE has various rubrics and standards, Nelson, a future contestant credits it “for giv[ing] a chance for each student to have recognition for their skills and talent.”

Savannah Alvarez’s inspiration for her artwork Courtesy of Avery Cousins

Each piece of artwork has a special meaning to the artist that fabricated it. This rings true for Samantha Nelson who based her VASE piece on her trip to the Philippines; Nelson’s “watercolor” depicts a “shattered mirror ‘reflecting'” various “angles/images” of her excursion. The trip was meaningful for Nelson due to the fact that she “got to meet her entire family, not just  . . . through pictures or a screen.” Nelson got a taste of Filipino culture “through her mom,” but in the country itself she was completely immersed. While creating her art, Nelson actively thought of her viewers and wanted them to feel that “warm, calm, happy feeling” she perceived throughout the time spent with her relatives. The “experience of travel” is the core focus of the art piece. From examining her art, Nelson desires for people to realize “that there’s so much more out in the world to see.” VASE is a vessel for students like Samantha Nelson who want to reach the world with their encounters.

Samantha Nelson’s VASE artwork
Courtesy of Samantha Nelson

At a time in life such as high school, it’s imperative for teenagers to understand how to express themselves. VASE offers an exciting way for our students to hone their visual art skills and receive recognition for their work. Nelson agrees that the “incredibly talented Wylie students . . . competing will definitely be great representatives for the school”. Our students will undeniably perform well and cultivate from this year’s VASE.