Youth compete in center's art contest

  • Published
  • By Katy Drost
  • 71st Logistics Readiness Squadron
Vance Air Force Base, Okla. --  Nine-year-old Danielle Wallace loves competition, which is why she entered more than one project in Vance Youth Center's fine arts contest this week.
"I like to be in competitions," Danielle said.
Monday, she put the finishing touches on her clay "Exploring" scene, complete with a canoe, volcano and two dolphins.
Danielle likes art, but she also likes to win.
"That's why I did other things, too," she said, including a splatter painting and a Sponge Bob Square Pants drawing. Tuesday, her efforts were rewarded with first places in the categories of water color, pencil, print making and sculpture.
The annual contest at the youth center offers a chance for children to compete locally against other children in art categories varying from clay to collage.
Tuesday, two judges chose a total of nine winners from two different age groups to compete in a regional contest.
While not everyone could be a winner, all participants learned valuable life lessons, said Stacey Storer, youth center counselor.
"Kids have to learn to not be afraid to try," Ms. Storer said, "and to value their own work. Through art, kids can really boost their self esteem."
She said the projects provided a safe stress reliever for some of the children.
"Everybody has a different way of expressing themselves," Ms. Storer said. "They're using their creative side."
Six-year-old Wade Baker revealed his affinity for lava by covering his clay volcano and its surrounding cardboard with thick red paint. But it was a non-lethal eruption.
"The volcano won't touch the people," he said.
The boy also tried his hand at portrait painting, creating a near-likeness of another art contestant, Chelsea Rubet, age 7. Entitled "My Friend Chelsea," the painting was drawn "'cause I just wanted to be nice," Wade said.
Chelsea appreciated the gesture, but didn't think the picture was a good representation of her petite frame and long, black hair.
"It looks like a fat person who has a big head," she said.
But good art "is all in the eye of the beholder," Ms. Storer said, and the counselor respected every project because each one entailed much effort.
"I think they're all absolutely beautiful," she said.