Five groups of teens from this region had their artwork displayed in The Kelly‘s recent “Aspiring Inspirations” exhibit. Too bad if you missed it because those who came by to view were really impressed with the talent.

Representative art was selected by the art teachers at Wetumpka High School, Elmore County High School, Holtville County High School, Stanhope Elmore High School, and the Jasmine Hill Art Studio in Wetumpka. Mayors and principals: Mayor Gary Davenport, Mr. Richard E. Dennis, Mayor Al Kelly, Mr. Michael Morgan, Mr. Troy Stubbs, and Mayor Jerry Willis were given the unenviable task of having to choose 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Honorable Mentions for each school ,  85 pieces of art!–truly a difficult feat.

The art included painting, pastels, and drawings and ranged from dragons and bats to abstract cats. There were hideaways and faraway places in time and space, self-portraits, abstracts, and even decomposed desserts, complete with falling powered sugar. The imagination displayed was palpable.

So how does a wonderful woodpecker by Meaghan Curenton (Wetumpka High School), manage to win just an Honorable Mention and still get “Best in Show”? Easy–different judges with different opinions. That’s the bain and the beauty of judging…as all artists find.

But to the viewers, the teens were all winners. Some of their work even sold to the admiring public. The Kelly’s objective is to promote art and encourage artists, so the exhibit itself was a winner as well.

Best in Show--“Woodpecker” by Meaghan Curenton

Elmore Co HS: 1st-“Est. 1975 by Maddy Mulder, 2nd-“Snow Landscape” by Jessica Hunt, 3rd-“Soldier” by Sara Marin Moon, HM-“Abstract by Bobbie Mann

Holtville Co HS: 1st-“By the Sea” by Jayden Evans, 2nd-“A Peaceful Irrelevance” by Toni Davis, 3rd-“Henri” by Abbie Patrick, HM-“Starry Sky by Levi Price and “Visions of Peace” by Natalie Malpica

Jasmine Hill Art Studio: 1st-“1890” by Lily Southwick, “Portrait of a Rock Star” by Mac Mracek, 3rd-Madonna and Child by Annie Thornton, HM-“Fall Morning” by Gaines Rogers and “Boardwalk” by Brantley Barrett

Stanhope Elmore HS: 1st-“Cheesecake Explosion” by L. Adams, 2nd-“Mountain Hideaway” by Issaid Herrera, 3rd-“Flyaway Sandwich” by Serenity Beckwith, HM-“Chaotic Mind” by Jorja Gaddy and “Desert Paradise” by Roberto Estrada.

Wetumpka HS: 1st-“Self-Portrait” by Kylie Wilson, 2nd-“Chicken Go” by Margaret Harrison, 3rd-“Evocative Infinite Space” by Ivy Sprayberry, HM-“Muse” by Ki’Nyla Gill and “Woodpecker” by Meaghan Curenton.

Finally, a big thank-you to the sponsors who made the show possible: Todd and Tonia Ayers, William and Ashley Cousins, Dennis and Lynda Fair, Frios Pops, and Cookie Knott in memory of her brother, Frank Ussery.