Raving Reviews
Local student artists’ work recognized at Minnesota State Fair
The artwork of eight local students was recognized and rewarded by judges at the Minnesota State Fair last week.
Sourcewell Student Academics Coordinator Phillip Olsen said the work of top finishers in the 2023 Regional Art Show in May was entered to the fair for consideration. Of those 17 pieces, seven received honorable mention or greater.
Pequot Lakes High School student Kali Tappe received a first-place blue ribbon for her photo titled “Books.”
“These students continue to produce phenomenal art,” Olsen said. “It’s quite the honor to be the one that brings these entries to the fair and to get results like this.”
Submitted artwork represented students in grades 4-12 from the Browerville, Pequot Lakes, Pine River-Backus, Sebeka, and Staples-Motley school districts.
Top State Fair finishers were:
1st place: Kali Tappe of Pequot Lakes – Books, grade 12 photography - journalism/social media: black and white or color
2nd place: Mikayla Ballinger of Browerville – Night & Day, grade 7 sculpture - wire, wood, papier-mache, plaster of Paris, non-fired clay, masks
2nd place: Cassidy Shankle of Pequot Lakes – Froggy, grade 12 drawing - colored pencil
2nd place: Madilyn Turner of Pine River-Backus – Living Tree, grade 8 drawing - mixed media
3rd place: Addison Winkler of Browerville – Dragon’s Breath, grade 9 clay - original, hand built
3rd place: Lucy Rickbeil of Browerville – Future Adventures, grade 7 drawing - pencil
3rd place: Liza Moses of Sebeka – Colossal Quack, grade 12 painting - acrylic, oil
Honorable mention: Emily Godfrey of Pine River-Backus – The Animal Gala, grade 12 printmaking - linoleum, silk screen, stencil, glued string, and prints made with brayer & palettes
Photos from all 2023 Regional Art Show submissions can be found here.
