Art Department News Archive
Please see below for news stories about our student artists published 2017 or earlier.
Congratulations to this year’s Scholastic Writing Awards Program honorees!
- Alana Abesamis, Silver Key: “Self Portrait“
- Giorgio Citarella, Gold Key: “Breathless Film”
- Komal Grewal, Gold Key: “Mason Jar”; Gold Key: “Colored Still Life”; Honorable Mention: “Colored Still Life”; Honorable Mention: “Self Portrait”; Honorable Mention: “Wedding Dress”
- Cortney Heaney, Gold Key: “Water Refraction”; Silver Key: “Double Exposure”
- Astrid Vardanyan, Gold Key: “Morning Routine”; Honorable Mention: “Girl Tying Shoe”
- Ally Wertheim, Silver Key: “Typography”
- Cleo Watson, Silver Key: “Growth Digital Piece”; Silver Key: “Dead End”
Three Village International Artists
Sixteen district students recently earned high honors in the 2017 International Interdependence Hexagon Project.
The event, which is a visual arts program for students aged 4-18 worldwide, asks students to create a piece of art based on a global issue within the shape of a hexagon — a metaphor for interconnectedness. The students were asked to base their designs on the unifying theme of “Empathy: Understanding/Acting.”
The district is proud to congratulate the following award-winning student-artists:
- Minnesauke Elementary School Winners:
- Mia Butkevich, Most Creative Expression
- Michelle Cutting, 2017 Theme Award
- Brynn Davenport, Most Relevant to Interdependence Theme
- Gianna Hogan, Most Effective All-Over Interpretation: 2-D Mixed Media/Collage Created by One Student
- Giulianna Pantaro, Honorable Mention
- April Poggi, Honorable Mention
- Penelope Reynolds, 2017 Theme Award
- Annabella Timpanaro, Honorable Mention
- P.J. Gelinas Junior High School Winners:
- Lydia Hsieh-Beatty, 2017 Theme Award
- Dylan Brand, Most Relevant to Interdependence Theme or Themes
- Cherrie Lan, Honorable Mention
- Natalia Newton, Most Creative Expression
- Annie Ryu, Most Creative Expression
- Riley Wohlars, 2017 Theme Award
- Rebecca Zhang, Most Effective All-Over Interpretation: 2-D Individual Pieces
- Julia Zhu, Most Creative Expression: 2-D Single Hexagons
Click here to view the photo slideshow
Sharing a Love of Art
P.J. Gelinas Junior High School 2016-17 National Junior Art Honor Society members showcased their artistic skills when they were recently commissioned to create a mural for the district.
The mural, now permanently installed in the seating area of the district’s Human Resources Office, features a view of Stony Brook’s famed Gamecock Cottage and West Meadow Beach. Twenty-eight student-artists worked on the piece, each completing a square for the mural using mixed media, under the guidance of NJAHS advisor Michael Sacco.
Special thanks to Gelinas technology teacher Dean Kostis who helped with the framing and assistance on this breathtaking mural.
Click here to view the photo slideshow
Senior’s Logo Design Wins Big
A proposed design created by Ward Melville High School senior Niki Nassiri has been selected by the North Shore Montessori School as the institution’s new logo.
The design, which Niki created with the help of art teacher Cortney Weisman, was in response to a challenge by the North Shore Montessori School, which wants to modernize its look. The challenge not only enabled Niki to showcase her creativity, but also helped her gain insight into the client/graphic designer relationship and invaluable experience in the field.
Niki’s design is featured on Montessori’s website and in its new spirit wear.
Student’s Film to be Screened in New York City
An experimental film created by Ward Melville High School junior Jamie Nagel has been selected for this year’s All American Film Festival, which will be held in New York City on Oct. 7.
Jamie’s film, “Youth,” was based on a poem she wrote and will be screened in Times Square as part of the festival. Following the screening, Jamie will attend an awards ceremony and reception at the historic Kings Theatre in Brooklyn.
Ward Melville student filmmakers have been selected for this high honor for the past several years. Jamie created her film under the guidance of Ward Melville teacher Stephanie DiLorenzo.
Art on Display at Crazy Beans
Media II students from Cortney Weisman's class have their student art on display at Crazy Beans II in Stonybrook, as part of a food photography contest sponsored by Crazy Beans II.
Ward Melville Students Recognized by 2008 Jostens/Adobe Design Contest
Ward Melville High School students Justin Suazo, Kathryn Kram, and Cassandra Lam recently received Honorable Mentions in the 2008 Jostens/Adobe Yearbook Design Contest. Judges recognized 23 middle and high school students across the nation for their creativity in yearbook design.
"When I heard that we won this award I felt so overwhelmed that both Jostens and Adobe recognized our art on a national level," stated Justin Suazo. "Especially because we stay so long after school and work so hard. It really helps to keep me inspired and want to keep creating designs."
Art Honors at Ward Melville
As a result of their hard work and determination, two Ward Melville High School student-artists have been recognized for their creative talents.
Senior Paul Bertolino was selected as one of two Long Island Scholar Artists for the month of January by the Scholar Artist program sponsored by the Long Island Arts Alliance. For this honor Paul will be featured in Newsday and honored at a reception at the Tilles Center this fall. The Three Village Central School District congratulates Paul and his Media Arts teacher, Cortney Weisman.
Additionally, Ward Melville High School tenth grader and former R.C. Murphy student Stephanie Treiber has been recognized by the United States Achievement Academy as a student of excellence in Art. Stephanie was featured in a late August edition of Newsday, which featured Stephanie’complishments. Murphy art teacher Dr. Laurie Mandel nominated her for this honor in her ninth grade year.
Aspiring Film Student Awarded Best in Show
A two-minute trailer for a full-length period piece with a western theme, filmed by Ward Melville High School senior Cody Snider in Setauket over the course of the past two years, has been acknowledged by the Long Island Media Arts Show as superior and bestowed the award of “Best in Show”. The event, which drew interest from hundreds of students across Long Island, was hosted at Five Towns College this spring and offers students with a winning film in the competition placement on the priority list for any internship requests that are passed through the Long Island Film Office.
Cody, who speaks with passion about the movie he titled Lakota, credits much of the success of the film to the support of his family, friends, and the tools he learned while taking the school’s Basic Video Production class in sophomore year and the Advanced Video class he is currently enrolled in. After finalizing the script for the movie and casting the characters, Cody elected to shoot the film using a High Definition (HD) camera rather than traditional film equipment – making him one of the first Three Village School District students to use this type of new technology.
“This film has been my most passionate project to date,” stated Cody, who plans to finish post-production on the film this summer and possibly submit it to the Sundance Film Festival next year. “I wanted to challenge myself and do something ambitious…working on a core period piece is certainly a large undertaking, but it has been a dream of mine and it is so fulfilling to watch as it is coming true.”
In addition to receiving top priority for any available internships, Cody was also invited to show his winning trailer at the First Exposure Film Festival at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, a program hosted by The Long Island Film Commission.
Film teacher Chris Esser stated, “Cody is an extremely diligent student and has excelled greatly in the classes he has taken here at Ward Melville…I expect we will see great things from him in the future.”
This fall, Cody will be attending the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New Yorky.
Ward Melville Student Awarded Honorable Mention in Jostens’ Photo Contest
Ward Melville High School sophomore and school yearbook photo editor Andrew Visconti was recently praised for his outstanding photography skills and presented with an honorable mention award in the nationally acclaimed 2008 Jostens’ Photo Contest. The annual competition, co-sponsored by Jostens and Wolfe’s Camera, recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of student photographers throughout the country.
Andrew’s sports photo was among 101 winners selected from more than 5,000 entries in this annual photography contest that attracts participants from across the country. Submissions are judged on composition, artistic merit, and technical qualities, as well as the ability to convey a compelling story.
Andrew’s winning photograph, along with all other winning photographs, will be featured on the Jostens.com website. They will also be featured in the 2009 issue of the Jostens Gotcha Covered Look Book, a popular resource for yearbook advisers and staffs seeking creative ideas, trends, and inspiration.