Art Contest

Grand Prize Jay Hunter, Age 15

“Jay’s photo grabbed us immediately. It perfectly captures the spirit of this month’s theme of FREEDOM! Some of the most eye catching elements were the movement of the flight of the subject, the use of silhouette against the puffy whte clouds and the brilliant blue sky, and the low angle camera position which elevated the sense of height of the subject. Jay also demonstrates great skill in composition, use of foreground/background and the kinetic sense   to catch the movement so well. A beautiful representation of freedom.”

Grand Prize Darcy Hamilton Age 18

This was an extremely close race. The top four submissions all displayed great skill and  In the end Darcy’s submission won because of the creative interpretation of the theme.

“Darcy’s tremendous skill is evident. The work is very clean, streamline, and sophisticated. The lettering style is elegant and the representation of earth is very succinctly rendered. Most compelling is the motif of the birds merging into the feather and merging back out again. It is a unique and captivating vision. The juxtaposition of movement and the asymmetry of the feather with the fixed nature of the sphere and the placement of the lettering gives the work dimension and an unexpected sense of balance. The simplicity of the elements makes the unique motif stand out even more. It has movement and grace and mystery. Darcy uses some traditional elements in a very unique way. This is a beautifully executed and very creative piece.”

First Place With Honors Denato Two Bulls Age 15

“Denato’s work demonstrates great ability and the interpretation of the theme is so creative. Denato uses the negative space beautifully to draw the eye in to the central theme of the work. The lettering frames the work in an asymmetrical way that is very effective. The central design has depth in the use of foreground/background and the sparse / selective use of colors is highly effective. It is a super creative take on a traditional motif.  A beautiful blending of very traditional elements  with clean lines and open space and a very conscious use of color. It gives off a feeling of purity and beauty.”

First Place With Honors Bailly Her Many Horses Age 14

“Bailly’s submission grabbed us all right away. It is so creative on so many levels. It deals with both the theme of Earth and the theme from March for a poster design for the Lifeline. All of the elements are skillfully rendered and the underlying idea is beautifully mirrored in the drawing. Bailly has woven together many elements on many planes very seamlessly in a way that draws the viewers eye in. There is movement and drama and striking use of color all in a very small space. Beautifully done!”

First Place Makana Little Sky Age 10

“Makana is developing a real sense of his own style and his characters. His work has a lightness and sense of humor and he is honing skills as both a visual artist and a story teller! He is creating original characters that are unique. He is really beginning to develop his own voice and we are excited to see how he continues to experiment with his ideas!”

Honorable Mention        Rossey Long Age 13

Rossey’s drawing is grounded and skillful. The earthy ruggedness of the skull is a wonderful interpretation of this month’s theme. It is a singular focused statement that speaks of earth.

Honorable Mention        Mitchel Crow Age 17

“Mitchel’s  submission is a great spin on a traditional theme. His composition, use of color and hand lettering are all very eye catching and creative.”

Honorable Mention        Ryan Two Lance Age 18

“Ryan’s idea is really captivating. It is very original and creative. The merging of the medicine wheel and the earth. The animal nations living within it and the tree nation above all resting in a traditional hand. So many creative elements. We would love to see this develop even more.”

Honorable Mention        Breiana High Wolf Age 11

This is Breiana’s third submission and third award! She has experimented with oil pastels and continues to develop her style which includes simple, clean designs and great sense of color with thoughtful ideas. Her work evokes a feeling of purity and innocence. We look forward to seeing her continue to experiment with new ideas and mediums.”

Honorable Mention        Tina Bear Nose Age 11

“This is Tina’s third submission for us and we have seen her grow and try new things each time. Tina has a great sense of color and uses it beautifully in very subtle and effective ways. There is a lot of attention to detail in her drawing and the many layers of imagery from the clouds and high snow peaked mountain tops, to the lake and distant trees,down through the waters and ground below give a sense of the wonder and beauty of Earth. A beautiful interpretation of this month’s theme and a great advance in her artwork. Her effort is really paying off!”

Honorable Mention        Taliah Standing Soldier Age 10

This is Taliah’s second submission for us and her second win. She has a soft and impressionistic style and use of color that is distinctive. The ideas in her text mirror the ideas in her drawing and she is able to combine visual and written ideas to make impactful statements. We want to see her develop this drawing more fully for an even more impactful effect.”

Merit                    Ciara Mesteth    10

“Ciara’s drawing shows a lot of creativity and detail. Nice use of color choice and many layers of visuals including the birds and flowers. Very creative idea of using the earth as the tree. Good work!”

Merit                     Jeremy Andrews 11

“Jeremy has a very consistent style that is bold and clean. He uses very saturated colors and geometrical shapes that make a strong statement. This is Jeremy’s third submission and he is engaging new ideas every time he submits. Great work!”

Merit                     Sequoia Good Crow 10

“Sequoia has a great eye for color and shape. He has several themes he likes to work with like the tipi and the medicine wheel – and he finds new and interesting ways to incorporate them into his work. Sequoia has strong skills and we look forward to seeing him experiment with new ideas.”

Grand Prize Winner Breianna High Wolf Age 11

“Breianna’s submission was top ranked by all judges unanimously – and she was up against some top contenders. For such a young artist Breianna is developing an eye catching style. Her work is simple yet very striking. She employs great use of color and the design has within it a lot of dynamic energy. It is a unique take on a classic theme and the use of asymmetrical lines is very effective in offsetting the symmetry of the medicine wheel/sun. Breianna also has a real flare for coming up with catchy lines that encompass the themes we present. The work has a positive and uplifting tone and message that is a very hopeful take on the theme of the month: courage. “

First Place (Age 11-14) With Honors: Winner Jayden Giago Age 13

“Jayden’s work is skillfully executed and very striking. This dynamic drawing of the powerful eagle really jumps off the page and brings a fierce rendering of the idea of courage both in the subject matter and dynamic presentation. It is a bold and beautifully executed interpretation of the theme of the month. We want to see more from this young artist.”

First Place (Age 15-18) With Honors: Jordan Cortier Age 18

“Jordan’s peice is striking both in the use of color and in the interpretation of a traditional motiff. His creative choices – the lightning, the flourishes on the feathers – create movement in a piece that also has very static elements. Jordan entered two submissions this month – both which reflect his unique style and approach to drawing. His natural skill is apparent and with some focused work has great potential to really blossom.”

First Place (Age 11-14): Winner Joshua Archuletta Age 11

“Joshua submitted two entries which showed the range of creativity in his work. The flower drawing displays skill with color and form and dimension. The text is a beautiful reminder of the courage it takes to let yourself blossom. His character studies show another side of his creativity in creating characters and scenarios to convey ideas. Josh is developing a unique voice and style and we can’t wait to see what he experiments with next.”

First Place (Age 11-14) Winner Aidan Pond Age 13

” Aidan’s poem grabbed us immediately. This is a powerful and poetic piece which demonstrates how much can be said with just a few thoughtfully selected and arranged words. The poem is honest and haunting and pulls the reader in in just a few short lines. It is a deeply moving work.”

First Place (Age 10 & Under) Winner Jewelia Lebeau Age 10

“Jewelia’s drawing struck us on so many levels. Her visual lay out echoes her idea of standing tall in many ways: the figure dwarfing the earth below, radiating color that reaches up to the sky above. The strength of the body position and the dynamic lines of movement all suggest strength and power. Jewelia’s drawing encompasses a natural sense of shape and line and color which all blend beautifully with the message. A very positive and uplifting work.”

First Place (Age 10 & Under) Winner Ted White Plume Age 10

“Ted’s drawing shows skill on many levels. Great use of color and a great sense of dynamic movement in the way he uses the strokes of color and the positioning of the horse. It sends a message of power and courage.”

Honorable Mention Winner Marena Eder Age 10

“Marena’s piece is simple and poetic. Her selective use of cooler colors is very effective in giving the work a thoughtful tone. The windswept lines of her drawing give the work a lyrical feeling. Her text has a quiet power to it as does her image.”

Honorable Mention Winner Tayza Brave Heart Age 13

“Tayza contrasts strong ideas, bold colors, and patterns against a field of black. The dark background allows the colors and ideas to jump out. It is a very striking marriage of text and visuals.”

Honorable Mention Winner Jasmine Big Crow Age 10

“Jasmine’s painting combines an abstract sensibility with eye catching color and bold lines of symbol and text to create a piece that is simple in its few elements but very compelling. Beautiful use of color.”

Honorable Mention Winner Jacinda Tobacco Age 10

“Jacinda is a second time winner! She again has found a very creative way to use a classic motif – this time the dream catcher. Her use of color and symbols and text all create a very positive and uplifting message.”

Merit Award Winner Tina Bear Nose Age 11

“Tina’s submission is simple and very effective. The use of color and line work very well and the skill in lettering shows strong ability. Can’t wait to see how Tina develops as she continues to practice and experiment with new ideas and techniques!”

Merit Award Winner Sevrano Arapahoe Age 14

“Sevrano submitted three works and clearly has great skill. We wanted to acknowledge Sevrano’s skill and give encouragement to keep creating and experimenting with ideas. All three of Sevrano’s submissions show great ability and a great eye and understanding of drawing concepts. We hope Sevrano will please come take our summer art courses in July!”

Merit Award Winner Joey Hill Age 11

“Joey has a great eye for color and great skill. The picture was very successful in relating a mood and a tone. That is very hard to do! We can’t wait to see how Joey inyterprets upcoming themes. Beautiful sense of color and composition. “

Merit Award Winner Makana Little Sky Age 10

“Makana has created a complete peice of art. Done in the style of a comic book – we see his character go through a whole arc of being afraid and then conquering his fears as demonstrated both visually and in his dialogue. Animation and comic book art takes a certain knack to create and Makana shows skill for telling stories in this genre. We can’t wait to see how Makana’s work developes as his skill increases!”

Merit Award Winner Lewis Wilson Age 13

“Lewis’ submission is a very clever twist on a well known symbol. Very creative and well executed.”

We had to pick two Grand prize winners because both submissions really grabbed us. This contest is more demanding than others because not only did artists need to respond to an idea but for this contest the final work had to be able to be turned into a poster. Both winners will work with a professional graphic designer to make their design into a poster that will be professionally pronted and displayed all over the reservation and on our website and social media platforms.

Jordan Courtiers work had many elements  that spoke to use. Jordan not only has great skill butbalso original ideas. The use of space is very creative especially the way the space off of the page is used. The blending of text into the image and the ideas in the tea=xt also really spoke to the vision of the LifeLine. We look forward to seeing what Jordan will create with the graphic designer for the final poster.

Breian High Wolf’s work struck all of the judges immediately. There is such beauty and poetry in this work. It is simple and poetic and relays an innocence that is at the very heart of the message of The Mitakupi Foundation. We can’t wait to see Breian’s work turned into a poster!

1st Place Winner Age 10 & Under

Tallish Standing Soldier  Age 10
We loved the use of water colors and the metaphor of a what happens to a leaf in autumn. We found it to be very poetic and very honest.  Tallish’s work has a very distinctive and impressionistic style.

Jacinda Tobbacco Age 10
Jacindas use of color and poetry made a strong impression. It is a very positive message and a unique spin on a traditional image.

1st Place Winner Age 11-14

Danita’s work really moved us. It gave a sense of hope coming from despair. We were all impressed with the original vision behind this work. It is very simple and very moving.

1st Place Winner Age 15-18

Macy’s drawing is very skillful and very striking. She submitted an idea with her drawing that really spoke to the idea of the LifeLine. In her own words: “”My poster represents bravery and freedom to be yourself and to never think about suicide. Don ‘t listen to what people have to say, because you mean more than words can explain.”

Honorable Mention Helen Vocu and Sequoia Good Crow We created an honorable mention category because we wanted to honor these two young artists and the ideas behind their work.

Helen Vocu Age 9

Sequoia Good Crow 10