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Art students stand out
CANFIELD
Two Canfield High School students stood out in the 2019 Northeast Ohio Regional Scholastic Art Awards show.
The art awards show had more than 800 entries.
Steffie Marciniak, a junior, won the American Vision Award for her illustration titled “Flaming Jars” and Emily Dunlap, a senior, won a Gold Key for her portfolio titled “Adventures in Oil.”
Steffie is the daughter of Dan and Heidi Marciniak, and Emily is the daughter of Matt and Angie Dunlap.
“It was a really cool experience,” Emily said. “I was honored be able to win a Gold Key.”
Steffie added: “I was excited to go and see everything else that was there.”
Her award-winning project is a still-life that she did for her art class.
Steffie won the Student Choice Award at Slippery Rock University for the same drawing.
Both students’ love for art goes back to their younger days.
“I’ve been doing art since I was 5,” Emily recalled. “It was basically since I could hold a pencil.”
Heidi Marciniak said Steffie’s skill comes from a family bloodline of artists – her uncles.
The students’ talent don’t stop at art.
Matt Dunlap said in addition to art, Emily does ballet and plays piano – both quite well.
“[Steffie] is a really good student – almost a 4.0 [grade-point average] student,” Heidi Dunlap said. “She also runs cross country on the varsity team, and she’s doing indoor track right now.”
But at the end of the day, their art is their passion.
“She could sit down and crank something out in three to four hours, and I think, ‘Oh my gosh, how did you do that?’” Matt Dunlap said. “Emily definitely has a creative personality of an artist. She definitely beats to a different drum. ... She’s a real character.”
Heidi Marciniak said of Steffie: “I know she’s excited about it,” she said. “This is one of the biggest things she’s won.”
Emily wishes to pursue a degree in art education at Youngstown State University, and Steffie is still deciding her future.
Nineteen Canfield High School students earned silver or gold key awards in the 2019 NE Ohio Regional Scholastic Art Awards. Eleven of the works of art qualified for national judging.