More than 150 students from Westminster College and the Wilmington Area School District (WASD) showcased their artwork in the recent Environmental Art in the Community showcase, now in its third year.

The exhibition featured creations from students in fourth grade through college and included a variety of creative formats such as photo essays, water color paintings, photo collages, mixed media and creative writing.  The artwork was on display at various business locations along New Wilmington’s Market Street from Nov. 4 to Dec. 2.

Judging occurred in multiple categories, and award winners were:

Best Watercolor
“Red-eyed Tree Frog” by first-year student Cassidy Singer (creative media production) from John Petruzzi’s Art and Nature class. 

Best 2-D Art
“Great Blue Heron” by WASD high school student Elizabeth Bursett

Photo Collage
“The Beauty of Cook Forest” by first-year students Emma Christensen (molecular biology), Charlotte Grubbs (music education), Valen Henry (environmental science), Ava McKinley (neuroscience), Emily Shaffer (environmental science), and Noah West (psychology) and juniors Phoenix Davis (environmental studies) and Kathryn Fitch (child and family studies) from Dr. Deanne Buffalari’s and Dr. Helen Boylan’s Nature and Identity travel course.

Best Individual Photo Essay
“Scenery of Westminster” by first-year student Gianna Amicarella (pre-nursing) from Dr. Maria Sapienza’s Introduction to the Liberal Arts class. 

Best Team Photo Essay
“The Tavern’s Sustainability as a Local Restaurant in New Wilmington” by first-year students Alexis Bennetot (finance), Claire Lindsey (pre-nursing), Lizzy McClish (pre-nursing) and Colby Besch (exploratory) from Boylan’s Introduction to the Liberal Arts class.

Best Individual 3-D/Mixed Media Art
“Fish Out of Water” by WASD high school student Rhett Sloan

Best Team 3-D/Mixed Media Art
“Trashmas Tree” by first-year students Rylee Black (international business), Camden Gjovik (sports management), Isaiah Gutierrez (pre-nursing), Gabrielle Kobbe (English), Noah Lippy (accounting), Sara McCarrell (psychology), Hailey McQueen (accounting) , Kendall Mealy (early childhood education), Morgan Myers (exploratory), Ava Sansonetti (sports management), Blaise Steele (music education), Trey Thomas (sports management), Emerson Tinstman (pre-nursing), Tek Torr (music education), Teagen Trulove-Anderson (accounting) and Rachel Villatoro (pre-nursing) from Dr. Patricia Clark’s Introduction to the Liberal Arts class.

Several local businesses sponsored the awards with gift cards including Bebe’s Nature Inspired Living Gift Shop, Gilliland’s Market, Pizza Joe’s and Pulse Coffee Company.  Westminster College students with expertise in art and writing served as this year’s judges.

The Environmental Art in the Community event is part of the Beyond the Quad art series which provides students the opportunity to connect with the community through the arts. Beyond the Quad is supported by Westminster College alumni Bob and Debby Caleskie Jewell, both 1980 graduates, and coordinated by the Center for Professional Development and Community Engagement (PDCE) at Westminster College.

For more information about this and other community engagement events, contact the PDCE office at PDCE@westminster.edu.

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