2023 CNY Scholastic Art Awards: See the best paintings, drawings, photos from Syracuse-area students

Works of art from more than 1,000 Central New York students were selected for prizes in the 2023 CNY Scholastic Art Awards, sponsored by M&T Bank and hosted by Onondaga Community College.

Students from 14 counties and more than 90 junior and senior high schools around Central New York submitted artwork for consideration.

In all, students submitted more than 4,000 pieces and 102 portfolio entries. A panel of judges, made up of professional artists, educators and photographers, judged the pieces and selected 1,155 works for Gold Key, Silver Key and honorable mention awards.

>> Complete list of Gold Key, Silver Key and honorable mention winners by school district

A special awards ceremony, to be held at SRC Arena on the OCC campus on Jan. 17, will feature Gold Key first-place selections for entry in national competition as well as for local awards, cash prizes and special recognition.

Last year, the Central New York Region produced 22 national winners.

About 1,350 of the pieces will be on display at the Whitney Applied Technology Center at Onondaga Community College through March 3.

The Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse will also display select works, from March 11 through April 9.

You can view collections of the Gold Key winners using the links below, and view the special awards below the links:

Special awards

Purcell Construction Corp. Award for Best work in Architecture & Industrial Design

  • Nina Svereika, Homer High School

The Sage Scholars Educational Foundation Awards

  • Best work in Printmaking – Madeline Howell, Cicero-North Syracuse High School
  • Best work in Digital Art – Alex Ni, Liverpool High School
  • Best 2-D Junior High artwork – Stella Arquiett, Norwood Norfolk High School
  • Best 3-D Junior High artwork – Colton Pilon, Whitesboro Middle School

Newhouse Visual Communications Workshop Scholarships

  • Photography – Elsa Propper, West Genesee High School
  • Design – Emma Leiker, Jordan-Elbridge High School

Clayscapes Pottery Award – Best work in Ceramics & Glass, Creative Design

  • Silence Baggesse, Carthage High School

Independent Potters’ Association of CNY Award – Best work in Ceramics & Glass, Functional Design

  • Angelee Overbey, Charles W Baker High School

Tracy L. Haylor Craftsmanship Award

  • James Hoey, Marcellus Senior High School

Ron Hellmann Photography Award for Best Photo

  • Kailee Clark, East Syracuse Minoa Central High School

Syracuse Cultural Workers – Peace & Justice Award

  • Zenat Sahak, Liverpool High School

The Art Store Award for Best Painting

  • Emily Carlson, Holland Patent High School

The Art Store Award for Best Drawing

  • Reese Niccolls, Fayetteville-Manlius High School

American Visions Awards, sponsored by The Print Hub Syracuse, recognizing the “Best of Show” from all Gold Key artwork,

  • Emily Carlson, Holland Patent High School
  • Kailee Clark, East Syracuse Minoa Central High School
  • Sophia Ferns, East Syracuse Minoa Central High School
  • Madeline Howell, Cicero-North Syracuse High School
  • Emma Leiker, Jordan-Elbridge High School

Light Work Award for Best Photography Portfolio

  • Cody Pinsky, Fayetteville-Manlius High School

Onondaga Community College Award for Best Fine Arts Portfolio

  • Yuhan Zhu, Fayetteville-Manlius High School

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