All students received a certificate and sketchbook from Mrs. Lisa Encke, director of the arts; Morgan Spencer’16, NAHS president; Callahan Rasnake’16, NAHS activities coordinator: and Julie Kim’16, NAHS co-vice president, as signs of IHA’s appreciation. Special recognition was given to students in each grade. Fifth and sixth grade winners received a gift bag of art supplies, while seventh and eighth grade winners received a scholarship to IHA’s Summer@theheart Young Artists’ Workshop this summer. Winners included:

• Fifth Grade: Natalia Gonzalez of Visitation Academy, Paramus and Frank Proscia from Academy of St. Paul, Ramsey
• Sixth Grade: Grace Abrue of Our Lady of Mercy, Park Ridge
• Seventh Grade: Amanda Potenza of Academy of St. Paul, Ramsey
• Eighth Grade: Isabella Cardamone of Academy of Our Lady, Glen Rock

Mrs. Encke said to the crowd that it is brave to share creativity; she said she felt both proud and grateful that the young artists chose to exhibit their work at IHA. “It takes courage to be an artist—to create a piece of art that will inevitably be judged by others,” she said. “It takes courage to suggest that a painting can be an impression of a scene, rather than a perfect reproduction of the scene. It takes courage to explore entirely new forms of painting as Georgia O’Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, and others did. Thank you, artists, for being brave.”

Photos courtesy Mike Hamlett and Ashley Marino'16.