A charcoal drawing by Greta Laesch won the Washington State Board of Education award.
An evocative, moody charcoal drawing of Liberty Bell and Early Winters spires on Washington Pass by Liberty Bell High School junior Greta Laesch has won this year’s Washington State Board of Education award.
The award was part of a statewide student art contest. In the regional show, Laesch won third place for drawing and one of 13 best-in-show awards, which moved her art to the 47th Annual Superintendent’s High School Art Show.
In a video about the show, Laesch says that she chose the subject because Liberty Bell and Early Winters hold special importance for her as a landmark when approaching the Methow Valley from the west.
Laesch typically works in acrylics or ink, but she chose charcoal for this drawing. She found that she liked working in charcoal because it enabled her to loosen her technique and concentrate on the entire image rather than small details.
Laesch’s drawing – in sepia tones with bold, dark chalk – depicts a quiet moment in a rural area where the mystery of Washington’s wild draws people to explore, Stephanie Davidsmeyer, communications manager for the Board of Education, said. The drawing is now part of the Board of Education’s art collection. Laesch also received a scholarship from the board.
Liberty Bell art teacher Erik Brooks submitted drawings and paintings by half a dozen students to the regional competition.
Like so many things this year, the art show was held virtually, but that allows people who couldn’t travel to Olympia for the competition to watch a video about the works of art and their young creators.
Laesch speaks about her drawing at about one hour into the video, which is available on the Facebook page of the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction at http://www.facebook.com/waOSPI.
