On Feb. 17, students and fine arts faculty attended the regional Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE) competition at Lake Travis High School. Students submitted one to two pieces of their artwork, made either in class or individually, which could consist of a multitude of mediums. 

“My piece is called the ‘Breakfast Nook’. It’s about how interiors tell the story of the people living inside of them,” junior Brooke Boykin said. “It’s kind of supposed to represent the duality of space depending on someone’s mood. You might feel really trapped in a space, or you can feel really comforted by it.”

Boykin, whose piece was made up of acrylic and oil paints, discussed her piece with her judge at regionals during the interview portion of the competition. Artists are given about 10 minutes to describe the meaning of their piece to the judge through a series of pre-set questions.

“I like the interview portion. I’ve been doing it for a couple years, so it’s not that nerve wracking to me anymore,” Boykin said. “It’s just a chance for me to talk about my art, which I rarely get to do.”

The interview portion, along with the artist’s actual piece, are taken into consideration for the score that they receive, which is given on a range of one to four. Boykin, along with many other students, received the highest score of four for their efforts. These scores would go on to determine state qualifiers

“[Art is] just a hobby, I guess. It’s more of a way to express myself rather than, ‘Oh, I want to pursue this as a career,’” freshman Michaela Partridge said. “That would be nice too, but I have other goals in mind apart from [art].”

Though art may be more of a therapeutic hobby for self-taught-artist Partridge, her piece advanced to the state competition, to be held on April 26 to April 27. 

“For me, my piece is more about people in the past, like friends or family members or anyone who I’ve come across and who’s had an impact on my life, and how their presence or the experience that they gave to me had an impact on the way I act in today’s life,” Partridge said.

The state competition will differ from regionals in its lack of interview, as well as its opportunity for artists to win a goal seal, which is considered the highest honor at VASE. However, artists are prohibited from making changes to their pieces in the two month period between regionals and state. 

“I’m planning to do VASE until my senior year just because I love creating art,” Partridge said. “I already have a bunch of concepts in mind.”