THE YOUNG AMERICAN TALENT COMPETITION

Presented by the Dallas Visual Arts Guild

Opening Reception:

Sunday, March 9, 2003- 5 to 7 PM

Closing Reception and Award Ceremony:

Sunday, March 23, 2003- 2 to 4 PM

Presented concurrently with the I SIGHT art exhibition.

The Young American Talent Competition, a visual arts competition for North Texas area high school students, is in its twelfth year. The Visual Arts Guild, a non-profit organization whose members are parents of visual art students at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, sponsors the art competition. High school students from area public and private high schools are invited.

This year close to fifty schools were sent call for entries. The show is juried and cash prizes are awarded in the following categories: drawing, painting, printmaking, mixed media, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry/fibers, photography, and digital art. In past years one juror was used; but last year (and this year), three jurors were invited to select 2-D, 3-D, and photography/digital art.

The show has been exhibited in several locations. The first was the Trammel Crow gallery, the African American Museum, the Bridge Gallery at the Arts Magnet, and this year at the Bath House Cultural Center. Students are always enthusiastic and, one year, there were over 800 entries. Last year there were over 300 entries and $900 awarded in prize money.

Past jurors have included well-known members of the Dallas art community such as Annette Lawrence, Linda Ridgway, Talley Dunn, Sherry Owens, Manuel Mauricio, Lauri Nelson Robinson, Roberto Munguia, Jim Jacobs, María Teresa García Pedroche, Benito Huerta, Vicki Meek and Carolyn Brown.

There has been continued support for this show from the art community, visual art teachers and visual art students. We are extremely proud of our high school art teachers for their dedication in teaching our students. We are extremely proud of our high school students for producing such beautiful work. North Texas is fortunate that so many talented artists reside in our area. The amazing student artwork, along with everyone’s enthusiasm, makes this show a real joy for the members of the Visual Arts Guild and the Bath House Cultural Center to sponsor.