This art show and competition allow students to participate in a regional exhibition, curated by IHA’s National Art Honor Society, while offering exposure to Immaculate Heart Academy’s outstanding arts program. The sixth and seventh-grade students’ work was displayed in IHA’s cafeteria, and all participants were invited to the exhibition and reception on April 20.

The evening began with an invocation led by Johanna Murphy’23, NAHS co-president, who will be heading to Duke University in the fall, and a welcome by Mrs. Lisa Encke P’20, director of the arts and NAHS moderator. “The National Art Honor Society members are excited to provide an opportunity for you to share your artistic gifts,” Mrs. Encke said to exhibition attendees. “We are pleased that this evening we have fourteen schools represented with close to seventy students exhibiting their work. For the past month, the art studio has been a buzz of activity preparing for this evening and the IHA community has enjoyed exploring your work in Café IHA. We also hope you have a moment to look at our students’ work on display in the main lobby in preparation for the Spring Arts Festival on April 26.”

Thank you to the following schools who submitted artwork for the 2023 Art@theheart Exhibition including:

Academy of Our Lady of Grace, Fairview
Corpus Christi School, Hasbrouck Heights
Good Shepherd Home School Coop, Woodcliff Lake
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Wayne
Notre Dame Academy, Palisades Park
St. Anthony, Hawthorne
St. Elizabeth School, Wyckoff
St. Francis Academy, Union City
St. Joseph School, Oradell
St. Margaret of Antioch School, Pearl River, NY
St. Peter Academy, River Edge
St. Philip the Apostle Prep, Clifton
The Selzer School, Dumont
The Village School, Waldwick

After seventy-seven judges juried the exhibition, three winners were announced by Johanna for both grades six and seven. Congratulations to:

6th Grade
1st Place: Alex Vursta - St. Margaret of Antioch School
2nd Place: Michelle Chen - St. Francis Academy
3rd Place: Danielle Magpantay - Notre Dame Academy

7th Grade
1st Place: Chloe McElkenny - Notre Dame Academy
2nd Place: Katharine Walsh - St. Margaret of Antioch School
3rd Place: Giada Laiolo - The Village School

To conclude the presentation, Lauren Grae’23, co-president of NAHS, who is off to Columbia University in the fall, spoke about her time at IHA, specifically in the arts program. “It has been such a gift to unwind by collaborating with other girls throughout high school to create murals around the building, design banners for our liturgies, and construct lobby displays for community celebrations in coordination with other clubs,” Lauren stated. “Art helps us connect with one another, foster friendships, and experience joy while enhancing our understanding of the world around us. I’m also a big science and math nerd, and my time involved with the arts and NAHS has helped me with that part of my life by allowing me to appreciate and visualize complex concepts. Art has shaped every aspect of my high school experience and I would not change a thing about my time at IHA.” 

Thank you to all our exhibiting artists and art teachers for submitting your beautiful work and to the IHA Arts Department, Admissions Department, and National Art Honor Society for planning the event, especially Mrs. Lisa Encke; Ms. Patrizia Tersigni P’14, art teacher; Ms. Lauren Rhein'09, director of admissions; and the NAHS executive board members. Congratulations to all the 2023 Art@theheart winners!

Click here to view the full photo album, courtesy of Mike Hamlett Photography and Tara Hopfenspirger.