News and Events

American Academy of Art Announces
Winners of Highly Competitive
2009 Art Scholarship Competition

Prestigious, Chicago-based art school awards scholarships to eight local high school seniors in annual art competition.

(CHICAGO) – February 6, 2009 – Last November, approximately 175 Chicagoland high school seniors gathered at the American Academy of Art for its annual art scholarship competition. The Academy recently announced the eight winners of the full-day, marathon contest. Prizes include scholarships ranging from two semesters to a half semester to the prestigious, four-year art college.

Some of the nation’s most prolific and notable fine artists and illustrators were trained at the Academy, which is currently celebrating its 86th Anniversary. Most recently, alumnus T. Allen Lawson gained fame for winning a commission from Laura Bush to paint the administration’s final holiday card – an enviable commission for any established artist.

The competing students attended the full-day competition on Saturday, November 22, 2008. Their work was judged by Academy faculty, who considered fundamental skills as well as the quality and quantity of work completed via two, three-hour assignments: 1) a figurative drawing from a live model using charcoal and pencil, and 2) a still life work in color using any medium other than oil paint.
“This is always an exciting competition and an excellent way to observe the creative abilities of prospective students,” said Mr. Richard Otto, president of the Academy.

Click here to view the artwork of the
2009 Senior Scholarship Award Winners.

The top three scholarships were awarded to:

• Lillian Pecina, a student of Plainfield High School, Plainfield, IL, who received the top award in the form of a two-semester scholarship.
• Daniel Rico, a student at John Hancock High School, Chicago, IL, and Faith Betinis, of Streamwood High School, Streamwood, IL, both of whom received single-semester scholarships.

The remaining five awardees received half-semester scholarships, and they include:

• Nancy Valladares, Harry D. Jacobs High School, Algonquin, IL.
• Gerardo Cazares, John F. Kennedy High School, Chicago, IL
• Jeffrey Stein, Timothy Christian High School, Elmhurst, IL
• Gabrielle Esposito, Lincoln Way East High School, New Lennox, IL
• Oona Goodman, William Henry Harrison High School, Lafayette, IN

The selected awardees will be presented their scholarships during a ceremony at the Academy on March 7. The winning students are expected to attend the Academy fall 2009.