A Bluffton High School artist’s piece was selected “Best of Show” in this year’s Kewpee Art Invitational, according to Vickie Garmon, BHS art teacher.

In addition, another BHS art student’s photograph was selected first place in photography.

The show at ArtSpace/Lima is open through April 7.

Maria Spallinger, a BHS sophomore, is the best of show artist. Her work was judged best of the 101 works accepted in the show. Eighty-eight students from 22 area high schools have works in the exhibit.

Kassandra Bishop, a BHS senior, won first place in photography.

This year 290 students entered 395 pieces for the show, with only 101 pieces accepted.

Eight BHS art students had works accepted in the show. Watch the Icon for a photo of those students:
• Maria Spallinger – best of show
• Kassandra Bishop - 1st place photography
• Kaitlin Burkholder  
• Kathleen Edelbrock
• Katie Heinze
• Kaitlyn Clymer
• Tabbi Geiger
• Lani Bishoff
• Kaly Jolliff

Maria Spallinger
Maria enrolled in Art One last year and this year is taking Design One.

“After high school I want to become a reconstructive plastic surgeon. I have been looking at a few colleges like Baylor, Vanderbilt, OSU, and the University of Pittsburgh,” she said.

Maria’s best of show artwork is a picture of her brother and dog by the Riley Creek.

She said, “I was looking for a picture to do my hard-edge and I realized my brother's birthday was coming up and I could give him the painting as a present. It took a lot longer than I thought it would and I got so tired of looking at the color green as most of the painting is different shades and tints of that color.”

She said that she hid the painting from her brother the entire time she was working on it.

“I enjoy art because it let's you convey how you see what is around you,” she said. “Especially In Design One, we get to pick a lot of what we paint or draw instead of everyone being given the same thing.

I also like to see the process of how the piece changes as I progress, even though Mrs. Garmon will tell you I'm the slowest worker around, she added.