Visual Arts

Scholastic Art Winners

Nine USJ art students won a total of 19 awards in the Mid-South Scholastic Art and Writing Competition. Their work was selected out of some 2,000 entries to be exhibited at Brooks Museum of Art in Memphis. USJ winners were…
• CC Calles: Silver Key in painting, two Gold Keys in painting, Gold Key in graphic design, and a Portfolio Gold Key. CC also received the Graphic Design Award with the Dr. and Mrs. Richard Dixon Honorarium, the Portfolio Award with the Dorothy Sturm Scholarship Award, and Kitty Sting Honorarium.
• Jordan Stonecipher: Portfolio Gold Key
• Carey Ellen Pettigrew: Gold Key in sculpture and Gold Key in painting
• Jessica Powell: Gold Key in drawing
• Rachel McLemore: Silver Key in mixed media and Gold Key in drawing
• Ann Marie Graham: three Silver Keys, in mixed media, drawing, and sculpture
• Susan Williamson: three Silver Keys in drawing
• Thomas McKnight, Silver Key in graphic design
• Jamie Updike: Silver Key in mixed media
A Gold Key is the equivalent of first place, and a Silver Key is second place.

Pictured, above, from left, are Jordan Stonecipher, Rachel McLemore, Ann Marie Graham, Susan Williamson, CC Calles, Jessica Powell, Jamie Updike, Thomas McKnight, and Carey Ellen Pettigrew.

Color of Music

USJ was once again well represented among the winners in the Jackson Symphony-sponsored Color of Music Contest. USJ students receiving blue ribbons included Margaret Jones, Caroline Purcell, Lashlee Randolph, Price McKnight, and Brigham Short from the Middle School and Lower School students Marli Swart, Drew Culbreath, Harrison Hamm, Claire Chandler, and Calley Overton. Ethan Self, Natalie Allen, Mattie Boyd, and Olivia Baker from the Middle School also were honored as finalists in the art contest.

Project Runway to Benefit USJ’s Art Programs

Art teacher Libby Lynch is taking her students' passion for fashion and putting it towards raising money for the USJ Art Program.

For the second year, Lynch’s students hosted Project Runway in USJ’s Blankenship Theater. Students designed an outfit, had a budget for materials, and chose a model to show-off their design on the runway. Students were limited to spending around $5 at Goodwill, finding old clothes or providing a t-shirt. They used hot glue and hand sewing to create the new outfits designed in class. Art students also designed the set, runway, and posters for the event. Admission to the event was a suggested $5 donation.

A room-size sculpture

University School of Jackson art students completed a room-size sculpture with the help of nationally known artist Sandy Skoglund at the West Tennessee Regional Art Center in Humboldt.

Skoglund's visit to the school was sponsored by USJ’s Academic Support Group. Skogland is known for creating room-size settings; the photographs she takes of the sculpture becomes her art. USJ students submitted designs for the project; Skogland chose one by Bailey Crowder. Representing right and wrong, half the room is done in white and half of the room is done in black. Huge “thumbtacks” represent those gray areas.

Notecards for Sale

In the styles of Picasso, Monet, O'Keefe, and other artists, USJ Upper School art students have created six notecards. The cost is $5 for six cards; buy two sets and get a third set free. Notecards are available at the Upper School front desk.