RHS Students Receive Scholastic Art Awards

By Jennifer Ersalesi

The Montclair Art Museum recently partnered with the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers to select the 2020 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Recipients. These awards have been presented since 1923 and have recognized artists such as Andy Warhol, Idelle Weber, Ken Burns, and Kay WalkingStick. A jury of professional artists, curators, and arts educators spent over thirty hours reviewing 3,570 works of art submitted by 1,330 individual student artists from across northern New Jersey.

This year RHS Art students Dana Serea and Brandon Fried have each been given the Montclair Art Museum’s 2020 Scholastic Art & Writing Award. Brandon’s and Dana’s works were chosen as part of the top 30% of the most outstanding work submitted among their peers. Mr. Jack Hurley, Superintendent of Schools, told TIR, "I am proud of the recognition that Dana and Brandon received. Their work is exceptional and is an example of the talented artists we have in our schools. Their teachers, Mrs. Veronica Grillo and Mr. Steven Mett, are also to be congratulated."

Mrs. Veronica Grillo explained, "Brandon has always had a steady and significant interest in art, but it's his work ethic that contributes to his success. He is immensely creative and he works hard at it. He does his research. He investigates, sketches, plans, and alters his idea before he commits to it. He was greatly successful in AP Studio Art last year, this year he's creating cover art for the local band See Plus."

Mr. Steven Mett told TIR, "She so fluently takes the skills and concepts of our content area and is able to raise it to the next level while applying it beyond the classroom experience. If you think these photos are good, you should see her video productions!"

Here are some of their submitted art pieces:

Serious by Brandon Fried

New Day by Dana Serea

Treading Lightly by Brandon Fried

Neighbors by Dana Serea