With the end of the year coming up, awards are being presented. The Scholastic Art Awards are no exception of this rule, and Cy Ranch students won nineteen Silver and Gold Keys, along with ten honorable mentions, representing their excellence in the visual arts.

Emily Yang won a Silver Key for painting, one of the four mediums represented by the Scholastic Art Awards. Her painting is entitled “Soothing Melody“ and depicts her friend playing a violin. The inspiration behind the piece was the emotion and solemnity in the face of her friend playing her violin and the visual poetry of the situation.

“The situation was just perfect,” Yang said. “The color contrast was amazing, and you could really see the passion that she had for the violin.”

Yang did not expect to win an award, due to having no current experience with the Art Department here at Cy Ranch. Yang worked on this piece entirely out of school, with some help from the Art Department, as well as her family, with her grandmother being a former art teacher and her sister being an accomplished painter.

“Art has really helped me in my life,” Yang said. “After the stress of school, it keeps me in a state of peace and tranquility and keeps me immersed in my own world.”

Victoria Hubler won a Gold Key for her photograph entitled “Abandoned.” “Abandoned” was a piece about nowhere, meant to show the run-down and peaceful nature of a shack on the side of the road. Hubler took the photo, a serene moment in the everyday metropolis, as she saw potential in the shot.

“There’s a lot to put into photography,” Hubler said. “The contrast, the value, and all of the thing like that, but most of all, you need character.”

Hubler was surprised, to say the least, at winning an award as she wasn’t really expecting. She was very shocked with the results and felt that if she did not take a risk, she couldn’t have gotten this photograph. Not only did she win a gold key, but her artwork will be on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston through March 7.

“I was surprised to win a Gold Key,” Hubler said. “I took the photo on a whim, and the photo was taken just for fun, not for recognition.”

Taylor Jerding was another of the nineteen students who were recognized. She won a Gold Key for her Digital Art piece, entitled “Fearful.” “Fearful” is a piece based Jerding’s belief that you shouldn’t be afraid of your flaws. Even with fear, you can still be positive, hence the name “Fearful.”

“Using Photoshop and a Wacom tablet, I could really change the way it looked,” Jerding said. ” I could really change the highlights and shadows of my face and transform it into my piece.”

A Gold Key was a shock to Jerding as it was the first time she had ever entered her art into a competition.

“I was shocked to win an award,” Jerding said. “It was the first time I’ve ever entered and to win a gold key on your first time, is just amazing.”

With the nineteen Keys received, all of the awardees definitely deserved them. From the peaceful nature of “Abandoned” to the hectic nature of “Fearful,” it is obvious to see that the Art department doesn’t disappoint.