May 9—WATERTOWN — The Best in Show winner at the 42nd annual Tri-County Student Art Show was inspired by a goddess in Greek mythology and what she represented.
The opening ceremony for the art show at the Dulles State Office Building, 317 Washington St., was held Monday. More than 1,000 student artworks are on display. They can be viewed during regular office hours. The show, sponsored by Carthage Savings & Loan and organized by Tri-County Art Teachers Association, runs through Wednesday .
The acrylic painting, “Her Choice,” selected as Best in Show, was created by Carthage Central School District senior Layla Moore. It features two arms reaching up to pick a pomegranate.
In Greek mythology, Persephone was daughter of Zeus, the chief god, and Demeter, the goddess of agriculture; she was the wife of Hades, king of the underworld.
Encyclopædia Britannica says of her: “In the Homeric ‘Hymn to Demeter,’ the story is told of how Persephone was gathering flowers in the Vale of Nysa when she was seized by Hades and removed to the underworld. Upon learning of the abduction, her mother, Demeter, in her misery, became unconcerned with the harvest or the fruitfulness of the earth, so that widespread famine ensued.”
Zeus intervened, commanding Hades to release Persephone. “However, because Persephone had eaten a single pomegranate seed in the underworld, however, she could not be completely freed but had to remain one-third of the year with Hades, and spent the other two-thirds with her mother.”
“The piece was inspired by the story of Persephone and the journey through womanhood and the trials and triumphs of it all, and the kind of hesitation to pursue things,” Moore said.
The pomegranate can represent things like marriage and fertility, Moore said. “I wanted to do a metaphorical piece of all the choices that women have in life.”
Moore, daughter of Heather Cayabyab and Willie James Moore Jr., fell in love with art at a young age. At Carthage, she’s a student of art instructor Kate L. Newton.
“Layla is strong, capable, and talented in many things,” Newton said. “She excels in both two dimensional as well as three dimensional work. Ms. Moore is a deep and conceptual thinker and is able to execute those concepts at a high level. She has produced a lot of work this year and has grown tremendously. Her future is very bright and we are excited to see all she does.
Moore said she plans to attend college to major in architecture and also plans to continue her artistic passion and athletic pursuits. She’s undecided as to her choice of college.
Awards at the 42nd annual Tri-County Student Art Show:
Emerging Artists:
Scarlett Workman, K, Carthage Elementary.
Sephora Davis, 4th grade, LaFargeville.
Madison DiLena, 5th grade, Carthage Middle.
Mollie Hollis, 3rd, Belleville Henderson
Judges Choice 2D:
Mirielle Hall, 1st grade, Indian River.
Peyton Geiser, 3rd grade, South Lewis.
Grace Morrow, 6th, Carthage Middle School.
Jenny Cobb, 8th, Belleville Henderson.
Noah Stanford, 9th, South Lewis.
Ilena Ratnaransy, 9th, Watertown.
Isabel Miller, 12th, Harrisville.
Rach Reynolds, 12th, Lowville.
Judges choice 3D:
Nevaeh Wise, 2nd grade, Indian River.
Jayden Price, 5th grade, Thousand Islands Central.
Abigail Berlinger, 6th, Indian River.
Raeni Bettinger, 7th, Belleville Henderson.
Aleya Lucena, 9th, Watertown.
Savannah Brett, 10th, Indian River.
Reagan McIntyre, 11th, Watertown.
Loretta Lawton, 11th, Carthage.
Greg Lago Award:
Lila Arnold, 10th, Alexandria Bay.
William Salisbury Award, Best 3D Sculpture:
Indi Irizarry, 12th, Carthage.
Art That Inspires One to Action:
Nyah Chiodi, 12th grade, Sackets Harbor.
Julie Bettinger Best Ceramic Piece:
Janessa King,12th, Watertown.
Photo Portfolios:
Honorable Mention: McClayne Reardon, Belleville Henderson.
Honorable Mention: Lilly Gillette, Belleville Henderson.
Second: Abigail Rudd, South Jefferson.
First: Wyntre Craft, South Lewis.
Fine Arts Portfolio:
Honorable mention: Janessa King, Watertown.
Honorable Mention: McKenzie Gorski, Indian River.
2nd: Jayden Smith, Lowville.
First: Abigail Frimpong, Indian River.
Best in Show:
Layla Moore, grade 12, Carthage.
The Tri County Art Teachers Association
