The MLWGS Visual Art department kicked off our post-COVID new season of Lunchtime Lectures with the dynamic Richmond portrait artist, Stanley Rayfield.  Stanley shared his artistic journey from his start at the Henrico Center for the Arts, through VCU, and up to his current successful career as a professional portrait painter. He also showed in-process works of his recently finished commission of the official state portrait of former Governor of VA, Ralph Northam which now hangs in the VA State Capital building.  His insights into his trajectory and his work process were inspiring for all our students! 

Our Lunchtime Lecture series are designed to bring local artist and art professionals to share their career experiences with our students.   These talks often are aligned with the MLWGS Global Cycle where students are learning about a specific region of the world in their freshmen and sophomore Global Studies classes.    These Lunchtime Lectures are sponsored by the MLWGS Visual and Performing Arts Department, the MLWGS Visual Arts Boosters, and our chapter of the National Art Honors Society.   Lectures are scheduled quarterly.   

MLWGS Visual Arts is very excited to announce that our talented students were recently honored by having their work selected in the regional Scholastic Art competition.   This is a highly competitive annual art competition which had 1,777 art entries from around the region.  An Exhibition of Gold Key artwork will be up from February 5th-21st at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond: 1812 West Main Street (9am - 9pm, 7 days a week).  Gold Key winners work will be entered in the National Competition.   National awards are announced in March.

MLWGS students had an amazing year, receiving 63 total awards, the most of any school in the region and recognizing Maggie Walker as one of the region’s top schools for the Arts. 

Please join me in congratulating these SENIORS who received received special recognition for their portfolios: 
Hanna Ngai - Gold Key Portfolio, 1 Silver Key, and 2 Honorable Mentions in Sculpture
DevynPowers - 3 Gold Key awards, Silver Key Portfolio and 2 Honorable Mentions as well as the Artist Merit Award
Savannah Cave - 1 Gold Key, 1 Silver Key and Honorable Mention Portfolio in Sculpture
Mallory French - Silver Key in Painting and Honorable Mention Portfolio in painting
Lexi    Pasternak - 2 Silver Keys in Digital Art, Honorable Mention in Animation, and Honorable mention Portfolio in Digital Art

The following students were recognized with Gold and Silver Keys for their artwork:
Rachel Dai - Gold Key Printmaking
Ishaan Dave - Gold Key Drawing
Anna Flora - Gold Key and Silver Key for Photography
Summer    Fraughnaugh - Gold Key in Photography
Cameron Golden - 1 Gold Key and 2 Silver Keys in painting
Reade Henley -  Gold Key in Expanded Projects and Silver Key in Fashion
Hunter    Knull - Gold Key Photography
Isabella    List - Gold Key in Drawing
Mercedes    Luna - Gold Key and Honorable Mention in drawing
Ananya    Sairaman - Gold Key in Drawing
Libbie    Sydnor - Gold Key for Photography
Kaitlyn Baker - Silver Key and Honorable Mention for painting
Madelyn Cambell - Silver Key in Photography
Elisabeth Eckstein - Silver Key and Honorable Mention in Photography
Sophia Isaacs - Silver Key in Photography
Ala    Killen - Silver Key in Painting and 2 honorable mentions
Allyson    Phillips - Silver Key for Photography
Kayla Robertson- Silver Key for Photography
Gwen    Stankiewicz - Silver Key in Fashion

These students were also recognized with Honorable mention awards for their work:
Kori Benjamin (2)
Benjamin Davis
Katherine Hahn (3)
Emil    Josefiak
Madison Kang 
Elena Loy
Gray Pershing
Audrey Price (2)
Cecilia Oseguera
Julia    Turner
Hoda Vohra
​

Youth Art and Music Month helps to raise awareness of the importance of the Fine Arts in education.  This year, Maggie Walker Governor’s School celebrated with an online student art and music extravaganza.  Our talented student musicians performed throughout the evening and beautiful student artwork was displayed along with the music.  The video and student artwork created by all our visual art students are on display in  here. 
​
Thank you for your support of the Fine Arts at Maggie L. Walker Governor's School!

2020-21 Scholastics Awards Summary
50 Total awards
7 Gold Keys awards  including 1 American Visions Nominee
14 Silver Keys awards including 1 Silver Key Portfolio
25 Honorable Mentions including 3 Honorable Mention Portfolios
Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School student were additionally recognized for their work in this show.  Junior, Devyn Powers received an American Visions Award nomination for her mixed media piece, Blue Face.  Additionally, Senior, Isabel Li’s digital artwork was chosen for the catalogue cover.
Due to COVID, an exhibition of only the Gold Key works will be held at The Visual Arts Center of Richmond at 1812 West Main Street from February 6-21st.  The exhibition is free and open to the public.  Social distancing protocols are in place in the gallery.  
The exhibition can also be seen online at this link.  https://www.visarts.org/partnerships/school-partnerships/scholastic-awards/.  
 
Additionally Gold Key winners’ work will move on to the Alliance for Young Artist and Writers national adjudication process, where it will be eligible for further recognition and scholarship opportunities.  Adjudication of Gold Key works will take place in New York City and award winners will be announced in March.
 
Please join me in congratulating the following Maggie Walker Students and the Fine Arts staff for their success!  Portfolio winners are in bold.