Prairie View artists win league show, finish second overall at Highland Community College

Roger Sims, Journal Staff
1 day ago
3 min read

Melinzie Barnett, left, won second of show for three-dimensional art and Alaina Hamons won best of show for two-dimensional art at the Pioneer League Art Show. Prairie View won the show for the third year in a row. (Photos from Prairie View High School Art Facebook)

By Roger Sims, rsims@linncountyjournal.com

Prairie View High School art students presented an impressive body of work at the Pioneer League art show last month. Buffalo artists won the best of show categories in both two- and three-dimensional art.

Prairie View artists won five first-place blue ribbons, six second-place ribbons and placed third in four categories.

The Prairie View art team includes, front row from left, teacher Taylor Bauer, Ariel Suppenbach, Justice Hopper, Danica Brake, Bella Stolle; second row, Ella Steinle, Maggie Muha, Amaris Murillo, Madison Stahl, Sadie Ellis, Paige Utech; third row, Kiersten McCarty, Gabriella Davis, Lilah McCarty, Kaylee Rhynerson, Jaylyn Baldwin, Jewel Mowery, Melinzie Barnett, Alaina Hamons.

It was the third time in three straight years that the school won the show, which was held at Prairie View.

Melinzie Barnett won best of show in 3D with her art work, and Alaina Hamons took best of show in 2D with her painting.

***Bella Stolle and the playing card dress that earned her a blue ribbon in the miscellaneous category.***

Barnett also took first place in ceramics hand building. Other blue ribbon winners were Ella Steinle for wheel-thrown ceramics, Melanie Merriman in digitally created art, Kimball Uphoff for photography, and Bella Stolle in the miscellaneous category for her dress created from playing cards.

Justice Hopper took second and third place ribbons for hand-built ceramics as well as third place for wheel-thrown ceramics.

In addition to her blue ribbon, Steinle picked up a second place win for printmaking. Barnett took second place in the drawing competition.

Kaylee Rhynerson placed second in wheel-thrown ceramics, and Kiersten McCarty placed second in digitally created art. In photography, Amaris Murillo placed second and Rylee Davis placed third.

Ariel Suppenbach took home a third-place ribbon in 2D mixed media, and Gabriella Davis placed third in drawing.

PV freshman Melanie Merriman with her analog and digital artwork. She first did the drawing in charcoal. She then did all the cross hatch shading in Photoshop. — ***PV freshman*** ***Melanie Merriman with her analog and digital artwork. She first did the drawing in charcoal. She then did all the cross hatch shading in Photoshop.***

The third win in three consecutive years keeps alive Prairie View’s dominance at the annual Pioneer League show.

In a post on Facebook, art teacher Taylor Bauer credited her students with dedication to their art.

“These artists are absolutely amazing, every single one of them,” Bauer posted. “They have put in so much care, time, and energy into their artwork, but most importantly they have put in the love to each piece they have made.

“I am beyond proud to be their art teacher. There is so much fun, love and art friendship in these photos, and that’s really what matters most.”

The league win came about two weeks following the Highland Community College Art Show, where PVHS artists brought home 11 ribbons and took second place overall in the 1A-3A category.

The Highland show pitted PVHS artists against tough competition with 44 schools, 827 students, and 1,217 artworks.

“In my four years at PV we have never placed in the overall category,” Bauer posted. The show is huge, competitive and it’s such a challenging task to do so."

***Ella Steinle with her ribbon-winning wheel-thrown set.***

At that show, Hopper received a best of show award for her ceramic sculpture, titled “The Traveler,” which is “a playful personification of a mole traveling the world one yard at a time.”

The artworks, along with woodworking projects built by students of Scott Bauer, will be on display at the Prairie View Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, May 13, beginning at 5 p.m.