Emily Ford earns gold at art awards

Emily Ford, an eighth-grade student at Sisters Middle School, earned the Gold Key last week at the Central Oregon Scholastic Art Awards. Emily was one of 140 students honored at the Pinckney Gallery at Central Oregon Community College on Saturday, January 22.

Ford was Sisters Middle School's lone Gold Key winner and was not expecting to win.

"I was really surprised I'd won," said Emily. "Later I realized it was a bigger deal that I thought it would be. It was so cool!"

Ford won gold in design for her multiple view drawing entitled "Scissors." The piece is approximately 14 by 10 inches and done in bold shapes and bright colors. Emily also earned honorable mention for a large self-portrait.

"The portrait is monochromatic and done in oranges, which is fun because she's a redhead," said middle school art teacher Carolyn Platt.

Platt praised Ford for her work.

"Almost everything Emily does is a winner," said Platt. "She has an eye for design and oozes artistic ability. She knows where she needs to go with something, so as a teacher I try to not get in her way."

Four other middle school students also earned awards: Madelyn Zadow won the Silver Key for her self-portrait entitled, "Me, Myself, and I." Marissa Young also won silver for a self-portrait simply titled "Marissa." Ashley Crawford and Tessa Georges both earned honorable mention, Crawford for her print, "Upsy Daisy," and Georges for her self-portrait, "Blues."

All art work can be viewed through February 4 at the Pinckney Gallery. A show featuring teachers' and instructors' work, along with more student art, will follow and will run through the month of February at the same location.