Over 100 students from La Porte County participated in the 2024 Noguchi Teen Art Competition.
Students had the option to create a 2 or 3-Dimensional piece made with canvas, cardboard, foamboard, glue, paint, and cardstock. All projects were required to be 11 x 14” or smaller. Projects had to meet all criteria in order to be eligible to win.
Student artwork drew inspiration from Isamu Noguchi, one of the most influential artists of the 20th Century who made his start in La Porte. This year’s theme was “Noguchi-Inspired”.
Judges were local artists and selected the following student winners based on application of theme, technical skill, and creativity:
1st Place: Isabella Stroud, a 10th Grader at New Prairie High School
2nd Place: Stella Eikens, a 12th Grader at La Porte High School
3rd Place: Autumn Smith, a 9th Grader at Westville High School
Stroud won for her scratchboard artwork titled “The Ugly Duckling”. She was inspired by Noguchi’s modernism and contrasts represented in his pieces, as written in her artist statement.
Eikens’ “In the Mind” comprises a variety of pencil sketches including a portrait of Noguchi standing and a hand striking a match, to name a few. In her artist statement, Eikens wrote that this piece represents “a look into the mind of Noguchi.”
The third place prize was awarded to 9th-grader Autumn Smith, who created a multi-media piece titled “Save Me”.
Smith noted in her artist statement that snakes have been a big part of her life and the words on her piece were from a song that meant a lot to her.
Prizes were awarded at last night’s Open House in the Study Café at the Main Library.