Art Collision: The Chandler Six has begun. The district invites all CUSD high schools to participate in their art competition. Traditionally, the Chandler Center for the Arts hosts an in-person-judging session to determine the top pieces, but this year they are switching it up.

Drawing and Painting teacher Lorena DeCristofaro has been a part of Perry’s art submissions since the school opened in 2007. Until this school year, DeCristofaro and other art teachers would choose their most exceptional pieces to submit to the competition. But due to disagreements on how the judges were selected, the district took matters into their own hands and changed the process completely. Now, teachers are required to submit each of their students’ best work, and then the judges will choose the pieces that will be entered in the competition. From there, the chosen pieces will be judged for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.

According to DeCristofaro, Perry’s art department “has always placed every year…there were three years in a row where my drawing and painting students won 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.”

This year, DeCristofaro selected pieces from, seniors Sam Greenwood, Michael Li, Reagan Morley, junior Isabell Martinez, sophomore Sam Quiroga, and others. When asked why she chose these students, DeCristofaro said, “I try to pick outstanding pieces from different techniques, mediums and levels.”

Senior Sam Greenwood was surprised to have her watercolor painting of a denim shirt submitted. “To be completely honest with you I wasn’t even sure I was good enough for my art work to be put on display, let alone be submitted into the art competition.” She is excited to represent the school and plans to “continue to incorporate art into the rest of [her] life.”

Senior Reagan Morley was shocked her piece was selected as well.

“At first I was a little surprised…but then I was really proud of myself. It’s nice to be recognized for your hard work, especially in a type of painting that I had never done before,” Morley said.

Having her art appreciated in this way was inspirational because “it was a nice push to continue to the end of the year.”

Overall, DeCristofaro has high hopes for her students’ artwork in this year’s Art Collision.

Other Notables

Sculpture teacher and art department chair Sharon Biemond is incredibly proud of her students, saying “I submitted 10 sculptures, and was the only teacher in the district to get all 10 submission selected.”

Selecting pieces to submit was “challenging,” but she ended up choosing pieces from her AP and Sculpture 111 classes.

Being the coordinator of the show for the last two years, Biemond is familiar with the new submission process. “The digital submission process was implemented this year because of the addition of the CTE digital photo teachers to the show. Prior to this year, the show was only Fine Arts teachers, but this year the district decided it would  add CTE digital photo teachers…”.

Biemond believes the new submission process is an “appropriate compromise” when including photography students in the art competition.