by Madison Lowe.

Four students from Bryant walked away with an award at the Arkansas Young Artist Association, March 13.

Two out of the four students placed and two students won an honorable mention.

Austin Scott won two honorable mentions in pen and ink abstract and portrait abstract, Brittany Jackson won an honorable mention in watercolor abstract non-objective, Lance Smith won first place in tempera realistic and Madison Lowe won fourth place in scratchboard/silverpoint expressive.

AYAA is a student art competition made to promote art and quality art for high school students in Arkansas.

“AYAA has been around for about 40 years,” art teacher Karen McManus said, “literally thousands of art works are there.”

Students who attended AYAA could submit up to five pieces of artwork, all in different categories that were judged by professionals, including college professors. Students could submit into any of the 60 categories, ranging from realistic oil paintings to sculptures.

“Schools and students all over Arkansas attended AYAA,” McManus said.

When students first arrive they go to the meeting hall and place their artworks in the category it falls under, then all students go to the main meeting hall and listen to the guest speaker. Students go to the river market to eat and arrive back in time to hear which students placed for each category.

“When we get back from lunch, students have the chance to look through all of the student artwork,” McManus said. “A lot of kids take pictures of the works that inspire them.”