LLCA hopes to repeat visual arts competition in Athens

Published 6:00 am Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Life Christian Academy student Kelley Proaps sweeps the LLCA Visual Arts Competition on Friday winning first place in three categories, including the painting category where she took first for her life-like depiction of two children on a bench.

Young artists from several North Alabama Christian schools vied for the top spot at a visual arts competition Friday in downtown Athens.

The event was sponsored by Lindsay Lane Christian Academy at the Center for Lifelong Learning on The Square.

Students from grades 4-12 competed for first, second and third places in a range of categories, including monochromatic drawing, 3-D art, mixed media, painting, digital photography, printmaking and paper art. Their submissions were viewed by a packed house and judged by 12 local artists.

Judges based their selections on design and composition, technique and skill of construction, presentation and creativity, and originality.

Life Christian Academy student Kelley Proaps dominated the competition for students in grades 10-12, winning first place for her monochromatic and polychromatic drawings and painting. LLCA’s own Lee Davis, Morgan Bonner, James Jones, Charlie Morrison and Blair Waltman won first in mixed media, graphic design, 3-D art, printmaking, and digital photography respectively. Tommy Guo, of Shoals Christian School, took first in the paper art division.

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Pam Anderson, LLCA art teacher and coordinator of the event, said she would like the visual arts competition to become an annual tradition in Athens, citing the overwhelming success of Friday’s show.

“In a community dominated by the space industry, the competition was a way to celebrate young artists,” she said. “God has blessed these students with special talents.”

Being able to host a regional competition is proof that LLCA’s art program is growing exponentially, she said.

Carla Woods, director of development at LLCA, said, “We wanted to give the talented and creative students from area schools a place to compete and share their talent. It was a huge success.”