On Monday, May 6, 2024, the Mt. Diablo Peace & Justice Center released the results of both the Art and Writing Challenge and Youth Activist Grant Awards. The program encourages local youth to address issues of peace and social justice through arts, music, and creative writing.
Two CVCHS students won awards for the following submissions:
Natalie Delianides: High School Art- 2nd Place Are We Ever Truly Free?
Grace Cleary: High School Art- Honorable Mention The Sun of Justice
The Mt. Diablo Peace & Justice Center accepts artwork from middle and high school students from all over Contra Costa County. Many students from Clayton Valley Charter High School submitted their artwork into the exhibition, in hopes of winning a cash prize between $100-$250.
In addition to the Peace and Justice Center’s Art & Writing Challenge, CVCHS also hosted their annual Art Expo, where many of their own art students exhibited their works from throughout the year.
CVCHS Senior Brooke Burns submitted multiple pieces to the exhibition, including her favorite, her ‘Memento Mori Piece’.
“I’ve always loved the saying ‘memento mori’. It means remember you will die which is kind of morose, but for me it’s more about living,” said Burns. “So I took that inspiration and incorporated other elements like roses and skeletons into the work as well.”
Through Burns’ piece as well as other student’s submissions, a wide range of artwork was displayed online at the Art Expo. These pieces reflect the hardwork and dedication the CVCHS students have put into their art classes, as well as their passion for art itself.
When asked how long it takes to complete just one ceramic, Burns said, “It really depends on what I’m doing and how many steps it takes for each part but I’d say about 2-3 weeks per ceramic project.”
At CVCHS, students have many opportunities to explore their passion for art through a variety of classes, such as AP Art, Ceramics, Art II, AP Art History, and more!
With such talented and dedicated students, who knows what next year’s Peace and Justice Center’s Art Challenge and CVCHS Art Expo will bring?
Photo Credit: Lian Blaisdell
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