Seven JCHS Students To Compete in Protege Event

Jasper County potter, teacher and principal Peyton Proctor graciously provided a wheel demonstration in Jennifer O’Neal’s art room last Tuesday at Jasper County High School.

Students from Ms. O’Neal’s pottery and art survey classes watched and learned about throwing on the wheel.

Students also enjoyed Mr. Proctor sharing practical life lessons. Superintendent Mike Newton, EdD, and JCHS Principal Robyn Mullis also stopped by to observe the demonstration.

Art students will be selling their art work at Fine Arts Night at JCHS on Tuesday, April 29 from 5-7 p.m.

In other JCHS art news, the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Macon is holding its 11th Annual Protégé Competition and Exhibition, which features works by high school students across central Georgia.

“I am proud to announce that the following students have been chosen to exhibit at the museum: Bree Chambers, Tiarra Whitlock, Danielle Smith, Maggie O’Kelley, Natasha Grestle, Sam Ballew and Cherie Smith,” said Ms. O’Neal.

The museum works with local school systems and students enter works in the juried competition, which is judged by an expert artist. Their work is celebrated in an exhibition in one of the museum’s galleries and recognized with an awards presentation.

The Protégé event is an important opportunity for students who will be preparing portfolios for admittance to art schools or developing their professional skills for future employment.

This year’s competition includes an interdisciplinary element that was added last year. Students were asked to interpret a literary work or character in a two- or three-dimensional piece of artwork.

They also were required to prepare a written artist statement for their interpretive project, which is shared in part as part of the exhibition.

Entrants have submitted works that cover a broad range of media, including drawings, paintings, collage, photos and sculpture.

Protégé 2014 is judged by Macon native Eric O’Dell, also a celebrated artist and Assistant Professor of Art at Mercer University, who is featured in the museum’s special Emerging Artists Exhibition.

The Protégé 2014 exhibition will be on display at the Museum of Arts and Sciences from March 29 thru April 28.