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Note: All image descriptions and artist statements are provided by the students.

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Tip: Click on a picture to view it larger.

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100. "American Pie" by Charlie Steffener

9th Grade, Snohomish High School

Teacher: Kate Obukowicz

Artist statement: I had seen a clay sculpted pie and I thought I could take it to the next step and make a usable dish that can hold sweets and others. This project took me roughly 2 weeks since the intricate lid made the process longer. I used a knife to cut out the cherry leaves and strips for top of pie; as well as the slab machine to create the bottom portion.

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This is a slab/hand sculpted cherry pie dish with lid; glazed with Stroke and Coat glaze.

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600. "Flying Through Fire" by Lukas Holmer

10th Grade, Lynnwood High School

Teacher: Donna Schou

Artist statement: I was at my friend's cabin and had brought along my camera to shoot some cool pictures. Little did I know that there would be a raging fire spreading across the mountains at a rapid pace. This gave me the opportunity to shoot pictures of the planes, and their efforts to help put the fire out. I then later edited my photos in Adobe Lightroom and picked out my favorite ones.

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Planes dumping water onto a massive forest fire at Lake Cushman.

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601. "A Moment in Bloom" by Tam Dao

10th Grade, Lynnwood High School

Teacher: Donna Schou

Artist statement: My father has many flowers in the house and since I was a little kid I always thought that they were a waste of space. But growing up I notice that the flower actually makes up the surroundings and the beauty that it brings in my house. Which is why I started to take pictures of the flowers, even if it is not that abstract or real, It's a part of my life and household.

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My art piece is a fake orchid flower that I took in my house

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Winner: Judges' Favorite

Winner: CWU Scholarship Award

602. "Divergent" by Megan Saadati

11th Grade, Lynnwood High School

Teacher: Donna Schou

Artist statement: What first inspired me to do this was to look at leading line photography and to get an idea of what leading lines I wanted to take a picture of. Second, when I went outside, I found that there were parking lines for the bus to park and when there was no busses, and the line I wanted to take a picture of was there, there was a tree that had happened to align with it, making it a coincidence.

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The following photograph contains a leading line that leads the eye to the tree that is in focus. It also stands out from the trees in the background that have leaves because it has no leaves.

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603. "Golden Stack" by Tyler Camp

9th Grade, Lynnwood High School

Teacher: Donna Schou

Artist statement: During a trip around the Olympic Peninsula, I stopped by Ruby Beach during sunset hours not knowing this sea stack would have such beautiful lighting behind and around it. After I took it and got home, I adjusted lighting and colors using Adobe Lightroom.

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a small sea stack at Ruby Beach in Washington with a golden sunset behind it

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604. "Velvet Crown" by Tyler Camp

9th Grade, Lynnwood High School

Teacher: Donna Schou

Artist statement: I took this photo on a small two-foot wide trail on a steep mountainside. Originally I was taking photos from a distance of more than 20 feet before the deer approached  me and ended up crossing the path behind me right after I took this photo. Afterwards, I re-adjusted some shadows, lighting, and colors in Adobe Lightroom.

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A photo of a Blacktail buck in the woods of Olympic National Park trotting towards the camera

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605. "Meadow's Peace" by Kalia Ratliff

12th grade, Glacier Peak High School (Snohomish)

Teacher: Christa Mallory.

Artist statement: My uncle has a wildlife rehabilitation center, so all sorts of animals come to visit his backyard. But one that captures my eye in particular everytime are the bees, who swarm his lavender plants and love to collect nectar from them. I really wanted to capture the softness and aesthetic beauty of these creatures against the floral landscape, so I waited to take the perfect photo.

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In a field of vibrant lavender plants, a bee collects nectar while in flight. The bee is in the center of the photo, creating a stark contrast between its strips and the purple lavender.

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606. "The Power We Hold" by Kalia Ratliff

12th grade, Glacier Peak High School (Snohomish)

Teacher: Christa Mallory.

Artist statement: I took this photograph as an assignment for class and I fell in love with the colors of the B&W. The pose that my model was doing looked really cool, and the shape of his figure coming through the cloth is really ominous and unique. I loved playing around with this photo in editing, using contrast as my guide. I took it using a Canon Rebel T7.

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A silhouette of a person lies beneath a long white cloth, the background is a gradient from black to gray. The figure has one arm up, like it’s holding something. It’s looking down towards its hand.

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607. "Cider's Lifetime" by Kalia Ratliff

12th grade, Glacier Peak High School (Snohomish)

Teacher: Christa Mallory.

Artist statement: I took this photograph of my grandmas dog, Cider, who she had recently gotten. Cider is always such a joyful dog, and I loved getting to reflect that in my work. While walking Cider, I managed to take a few photos of her while at the park. It was such a happy moment for the both of us. I used my Canon 70D to capture the moment.

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A black and white dog with its tongue out, smiling happily at the camera. The background is a mix of greens and browns, similar to the dog’s eyes.

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608. "Bug Catcher" by Maxine Cota

11th grade, Glacier Peak High School (Snohomish)

Teacher: Christa Mallory

Artist statement: I was inspired by a glass painting that one of my peers did. I used a Canon mirrorless camera and Lightroom Classic to create my photo.

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For this photo I wanted to capture the nostalgic feeling of childhood through my vivid memories of catching bugs in the summertime.

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609. "Perspective of Life" by Kalia Ratliff

12th grade, Glacier Peak High School

Teacher: Christa Mallory.

Artist statement: Every year for my birthday, me and my family go to the zoo. I've enjoyed getting to see new animals everytime, but what caught my eye most recently was the gardens inside the zoo. There were flowers of every shape and kind, and the bees created a pretty contrast with the bright colors that surround the place. It was such a fun way to celebrate the smaller animals that often don't get recognition.

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A small, rounded bee gathers pollen from a pink flower. The background is a pretty shade of green, and in the background are faded shapes of the same flower that the bee is nestled on.

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610. "Tree of Life" by Abigail Savage

12th grade, Glacier Peak High School (Snohomish)

Teacher: Christa Mallory

Artist statement: I love taking pictures in nature every time I go out, so much that my friends leave me behind while we hike because I stop to take pictures of mushrooms and plants. But this picture was definitely a little strange, while looking for a specific mushroom I found while hiking, I looked up to see a bone placed in the tree, far from where hikers normally are. It was definitely an anomaly in the woods.

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A found bone of an unknown animal set in a tree far from a hiking trail path

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611. "Visitor" by Cole Seery

12th grade, Glacier Peak High School (Snohomish)

Teacher: Christa Mallory

Artist statement: I was driving around a random neighborhood in Everett when I stumbled into this coyote. I really liked the contrast of a wild animal being surrounded by human made structures or buildings. I also have always found it interesting how wildlife, like coyotes, seem to adapt and thrive in urban areas or cities. For this photograph I used a Panasonic Lumix digital camera.

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My submission is a black and white photograph that shows a lone coyote standing in an urban front yard. 

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612. "Champion" by Lucy Choyke

12th grade, Glacier Peak High School (Snohomish)

Teacher: Christa Mallory

Artist statement: I myself am a wrestler for my school's Girls Wrestling Program, and I am consistently blown away by the women on my team. This photo was captured at a Double Duel where we demolished the other teams. The girls on my team inspired me to bring my camera to capture photos like this one. This photo comes from a loss for the other team (the girl in the foreground) and a exciting win for our girl, Kate.

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This is an image of a wrestler walking off the mat after a loss against my teammate, Kate, she is having her hand raised in the back, showing the contrast of emotion between winning and losing.

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613. "Sunrise Mountain" by Grayson Michl, 12th grade, Glacier Peak High School

Teacher: Christa Mallory.

Artist statement: I saw Mount Rainier and thought, wow what a cool looking thing to take a photo of.

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614. "Foggy Fall Walk" by Kalum Cruze

12th grade, Glacier Peak High School

Teacher: Christa Mallory

Artist statement: This photograph explores the idea of quiet progress and reflection. The upward path through the foggy forest represents growth that happens slowly and without certainty. By focusing on natural light, muted colors, and empty space, the image invites viewers to pause, reflect, and find meaning in the journey rather than the destination.

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Wooden steps climb through a misty forest, covered in fallen leaves and framed by tall trees. Soft light and fog create a calm, quiet mood, inviting reflection and a slow journey forward.

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615. "Reflected World" by Ananya Raichura

12th grade, Glacier Peak High School

Teacher: Christa Mallory

Artist statement: I was inspired by how climate change is often ignored and how human intervention, especially urbanization, can seem appealing while quietly harming nature. I used a human made bubble on a leaf to show this contrast. The colorful reflection may look beautiful, but it represents a distorted perception of human impact that slowly damages the natural world.

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This image is a close up of a fragile bubble resting on a leaf. Using distorted reflections and color, it emphasizes the between human influence and the natural world.

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Winner: Judges' Favorite

Winner: CWU Scholarship Award

616. "The Last Reflection" by Emma Simpkins

12th grade, Glacier Peak High School (Snohomish)

Teacher: Christa Mallory

Artist statement: The piece encompasses the fleeting experience of life, and the solemn effect of hindsight and self reflection in the moments that are too late. I discovered the bee on top of my car before departing, and was taken aback about how symbolic I found the dying creature. I retrieved my camera and my kit lens (at the time I didn't possess a macro lens) and used my camera knowledge to achieve depth.

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The photo portrays a bee lying on its back on a reflective surface, with its leg waving in the air with a faint blur. The photo is primarily dark with a strong emphasis on the bee and its reflection.

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617. "The Sixth Element" by Parasmai Sharma

11th grade, Glacier Peak High School (Snohomish)

Teacher: Christa Mallory

Artist statement: My work is fundamentally inspired by previous photos I have taken. I am drawn to exploring the ideas of the unknown in my art. When creating my pieces, I often begin by doing research and acquiring the tools I need to complete the project. The process then evolves into taking the actual photos, which ends up taking the most amount of time. After the photos have been taken, I edit with Lightroom.

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There are wet circles on the camera lens that have focused images of a octagon like shape. This gives a magnifying effect, hence dubbed, "The Sixth Element"

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618. "Roll of a Lifetime" by Aashrith Hannurkar

11th grade, Glacier Peak High School

Teacher: Christa Mallory.

Artist statement: What inspired me was the dramatic and intense feeling of a dice roll. The lip-quivering feeling of not knowing what the outcome of this one roll could be. One roll could either dictate a great future, or a spot reserved in a state of loss. The close up perspective shows the contrast and dramatic lighting, showing the chaotic spin of the dice against the board.

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My art submission shows the dramatic and potency of a dice roll, especially in board games like Monopoly. It captures the essence of the feeling of a random chance roll, either dictating your win/loss

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619. "Beach View" by Peyton Hanson

11th grade, Glacier Peak High School (Snohomish)

Teacher: Christa Mallory

Artist statement: I was at the beach with my friends this summer, and I wanted to take a picture while I was standing on the dock. I edited it a little for the colors in the sky to be more contrasting of the white beach house.

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It's a beautiful picture of the dock at Mukilteo Beach and the lighthouse.

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620. "Nostalgia" by Caleb Denson

11th grade, Glacier Peak High School (Snohomish)

Teacher: Christa Mallory.

Artist statement: I used several old cameras to get the right one I wanted; I wanted to really capture the feeling of being old and remembering what life and items were like when you were younger.

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This photo is meant to capture the indescribable feeling of nostalgia through old cameras and props I had as a child.

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621. "Overgrown cliff" by Harsh Rana

11th grade, Glacier Peak High School (Snohomish)

Teacher: Christa Mallory.

Artist statement: What inspired me was my own interest for nature, especially when its gloomy and quiet; people seemed to be repelled by these attributes, but I want to show people that there's more to Washington's gloomy weather.

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It shows the border/line where a Forest ends and meets with the coastline, and with the given conditions located on a cliff allows for moss, ferns, hanging trees to be growing on the cliff.

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622. "Phone Addiction" by Ellie Rook

12th grade, Glacier Peak High School (Snohomish)

Teacher: Christa Mallory

Artist statement: What inspired me to take this photo was to show how having a phone addiction can make the rest of the world melt away. Having an addiction to social media/phone usage is very prevalent in our society and causes a lot of harm. To take the photo I used a digital camera and only used the light coming from the phone. I edited it using Lightroom Classic.

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My photograph shows a girl who has an addiction to her phone.

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623. "sun beams" by Tenasyn Pacini

12th grade, Glacier Peak High School (Snohomish)

Teacher: Christa Mallory

Artist statement: I was at the Olympic National Park and we were hiking to the beach. I took a moment to look up and the sun beamed down so beautifully. I was hoping the picture would be able to capture what it looked like from my eyes. And it ended up being better then I was expecting. It captures Washington so well and the sun mixed with the fog work together so well.

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It captures the light beautifully, and the tress add so much to the photo. Also the colors in it really made it look put together but also pop a little.

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300. "My Broken Name" by Ameerah Frisinger

9th Grade, HomeConnection (Oak Harbor)

Teacher: Mary Ellen O'Connor

Artist statement: My name is in both Hebrew and Arabic on opposite ends of a banner symbolizing my conflicting heritage and ties to warring people of the Holy Land. Two hands are splitting apart my face, revealing the vulnerability that comes with reconnecting to the past, and grasping for a harmonized future. There is hope for reconciling my broken name.

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This piece was drawn in 6B pencil on smooth paper.

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301. "Nuances of Feline Silence" by Anghella Leon Rios

10th Grade, Burlington-Edison High School

Teacher: Suzanne McLelland

Artist statement: I used a copyright-free Pexels image, starting with a graphite sketch for the silhouette. I meticulously layered black charcoal, beginning with hyper-realistic eyes before detailing the face, ears, and body. Finally, I added intricate fur highlights using white chalk. This step-by-step process was a technical challenge that became a deeply relaxing and joyful journey into feline expression.

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A meticulously rendered charcoal and chalk portrait on paper. Titled 'Nuances of Feline Silence', it masters light and shadow to reveal intricate fur textures and a deep, evocative gaze.

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500. "Aunt Linda's Back Yard" by Maylee Martin

11th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kayla Spruce

Artist statement: My great aunt inspired me to create this piece. She's moving out of the house soon, and my whole family and I have so many great memories in that house. I wanted to paint this piece as a gift to her and a memory of her home. There were many great photos to choose from, but I chose this one because I felt like her backyard was the focal point of the house, and the place that held the most memories.

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The focus point is a teal fence door sitting against a fence in the background. Hanging from the door is a small rusty jar and a heart sign, while two potted plants are sitting on the ground in front.

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624. "Sunny Daze" by Anneliese Ballou

12th Grade, Snohomish High School

Teacher: Kate Obukowicz

Artist statement: For this photograph I was inspired by all of the people living their own lives. When I saw these three serious looking people in front of a funny mural it inspired me. I really liked the juxtaposition of the people and the background along with the bright colors. My passion is photography. I took this photo with a Canon digital camera and I edited it in Adobe Lightroom.

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A photograph of three people sitting on a bench in Bondi Beach, Australia in front of a mural that says "sun's out buns out"

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302. "Something soft remains" by Amira Al Mayyahi

9th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Maya Kilmer

Artist statement: While creating this piece, I felt unsure if I was doing enough, but I continued working through that uncertainty. I wanted to capture a gentle feeling, where movement slows and emotion lingers softly. Through flowing lines and soft color, I aimed to create a sense of calm, warmth, and quiet. References were used to help guide the pose and anatomy, but the character, design, and idea are my own

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I created a drawing of a girl who is surrounded by flow-y lines. I used colored pencils and unique patterns to create depth and intrest.

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625. "girl I've always been" by Madison Lord

11th grade, Marysville Getchell High School

Teacher: Cathleen Pettelle-Price.

Artist statement: My own journey through life and mental health is what has inspired me. I use a Canon EOS R50 and edit in Snapseed. I like to bring truth and emotion to my art. I love being able to make something beautiful, poetic, and melancholy.

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My mental health has always isolated me, but I have grown so much in the past few years, and the girl I've always been has started to shine through. That is what my piece symbolizes.

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626. "Hysteria" by Elio Pintler

10th grade, Mountlake Terrace High School

Teacher: Nichole Mohs

Artist statement: This piece was inspired by a photoshoot done with Robert Pattinson and GQ Magazine, one of the shots is him standing at a sink, bleaching his hair, and the lighting really inspired me. I struggle with body dysmorphia, like many teenage girls do, and wanted to take a piece that represents how it feels to go through general life hyper aware of every pimple, crooked tooth, cracked nail, and bruise.

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628. "Lights of the Town" by Jeremiah Statler

9th grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Jana Jansen

Artist statement: I saw the statue with great lighting around it with fairy lights in the trees around it and the darkness of the night provided a nice background to help boost the color of the light bokeh. The lights also helped show the bronze and give a nice hue to the statue. I feel like it helps show Oak Harbor's history before the town with the statue being called "Island Spirit" to show Native Americans.

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Taken on a late night walk through downtown Oak Harbor. Taken with a Canon 2000D with a 1 second exposure time, f/2.8, and at 100 ISO. I used a 40mm f/2.8 lens.

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629. "Blue Light" by Madison Trigg

12th grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Jana Jansen

Artist statement: This photo was taken during Christmas time, when my dad usually takes out the porch light bulbs and replaces them with colored ones. The color and contrast of the lighting, as it was taken at night, inspired me because of the bright color and detail. I loved being able to zoom in close enough that I might even confuse the viewer and make someone question what they are looking at.

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An up close photo of an outdoor light that has a blue colored bulb in it. It is rippled up close and circular.

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630. "Suspended Will" by Cayson Evans

12th grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Jana Jansen.

Artist statement: The work captures moments where physical effort becomes emotional expression. Wrestling demands trust, precision, and vulnerability, persevering in the instant when both athletes share responsibility for the outcome.

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"Suspended will" captures a fleeting moment where Strength, trust, and control collide. Two wrestlers share gravity's pause, revealing the quiet beauty, risk, and discipline within struggle.

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631. "Pinned by Momentum" by Levi Evans

12th grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Jana Jansen

Artist statement: The crowd was absolutely insane and by far the loudest it's ever been. From the beginning of the fight, Elijah was dominating his opponent, and they got really close to me. His opponent looks helpless and exhausted, so I made it more dramatic by using Lightroom's Adobe monochrome color profile. There were a bunch of distractions, so I removed them.

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A black and white photograph capturing the moment after a slam. Showing the exhausted and helpless opponent with his legs in the air, not even having control of his body.

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632. "Reflections of a Gentle Soul" by Kady McCrae

11th grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Jana Jansen.

Artist statement: I was inspired by how much emotion you can see an interpret through a horses eye, my goal was to capture that but also include what that eye and emotion is reflecting.

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My photo is a close up of a horses eye on the left that fades into an unfocused shot of his body and trees.

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400. "Bumblebee" by Lillian Sheppard

10th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kayla Spruce

Artist statement: For my painting, I used a drawing of a bee as my reference photo for the general outline and some of the values in my piece.  For this piece, I was inspired by all of the different colors found in black and wanted to use a mixture of mediums to experiment with the power of color when incorporating light, texture, and depth into a 2d piece.

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This submission is a painting of a bee. I used primarily watercolor, while incorporating some brown pastel, black marker, and white acrylic to add more texture and depth to the piece.

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101. "A berry sweet brew" by Emma Williams

12th Grade, Snohomish High School

Teacher: Kate Obukowicz

Artist statement: My strawberry teapot was inspired by the comfort of everyday rituals like sharing tea. I chose the strawberry for its associations with warmth, sweetness, and familiarity, transforming an organic form into a functional object. By blending playful imagery with utility, I aimed to create a piece that feels inviting, personal, and slightly unexpected.

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A hand-crafted strawberry-inspired teapot that balances sculptural form and functionality through rounded shapes and natural texture.

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200. "West Beach" by Sunny McInnis

12th Grade, Oak Harbor High School.

Teacher: Kit Christopherson.

Artist statement: I have a lot of focus on the absurd feeling of hope within my art. With this one, I really felt that the connection between my antsy and free dog being in front of the light showed the unshackled feeling that everything will one day be alright. With this piece I went totally by myself with color picking, I challenged myself to create my own colors based on my reference. I used Clip Studio Paint.

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A picture I took of my dog passing the beach as the beautiful sun rays strike her racy fur.

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501. "Silent Waves" by Maylee Martin

11th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kayla Spruce

Artist statement: This painting was created as a class assignment, however, I wanted it to be something that resonated with me, and I wanted it to be something that was interesting to me. To create this piece, I used acrylic paints as my medium. The tools I used include a medium flat brush, a mop brush, a small flat brush, a small round brush, and a small linear brush to create the finer details in my piece.

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Small waves are crashing against the sand and rocks and forming in the distance. Mountains can be seen in the far distance, and on the horizon, the sun is setting.

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633. "Stillness in Three" by Nathaniel Cantrell

12th grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Jana Jansen

Artist statement: This photograph explores balance, patience, and repetition in nature, using reflection and negative space to slow the viewer and invite a quiet observation. I took this photo to capture a fleeting moment of harmony- how wildlife, water, and silence briefly align before motion returns.

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Three dark waterbirds perch in quiet formation on a fallen branch above glassy water, their reflections stretching the scene into calm symmetry.

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502. "Brown Bear" by Lillian Sheppard

10th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kayla Spruce.

Artist statement: For this piece, I used a photo of a bear from the internet as a reference. I then used only watercolors to experiment with using many layers of thin washes to build up pigment and show off the white of the paper as my only source of highlights and paler values in the piece.

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This submission is a watercolor painting of a brown bear without the use of any acrylics.

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503. "Red Velvet" by Lillian Sheppard

10th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kayla Spruce

Artist statement: I was inspired to make this piece when looking at a cake I had made. I wanted to experiment with how all of the colors and shades that  I saw when looking at it were made of black, white, cyan, magenta, and yellow, so I took a photo of the cake and made a painting of it using only those colors.

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This is a painting of a red velvet cake.  For this piece, I used acrylic paints. I used only the true primaries (yellow, cyan, magenta) as well as black and white when painting this piece.

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504. "Excruciating" by Ameerah Frisinger

9th Grade, HomeConnection (Oak Harbor)

Teacher: Mary Ellen O'Connor.

Artist Statement: Dragonfly's iridescent wings are revered as messengers of the divine across many cultures, and the vibrant, explosive background resembles the flashing lights of a migraine, referring to the anxiety and shocking power of revelation. In the foreground, I layered more neutral colors to contrast the vivid hues behind, and to highlight the Christ figure’s humanity, beauty of sacrifice and compassion.

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This piece is an acrylic painting on canvas with ink accents. I layered the acrylic more densely than is traditional to evoke a more oil like feel that would have been used in classic iconography.

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505. "In Waiting" by Oliver Malmin

11th Grade, Burlington-Edison High School

Teacher: Suzanne McLelland

Artist statement: What inspired me is just the idea of those waiting for something great to happen to them, I felt like taking a bit of a religious twist on it since I've noticed a lot of people in some sort of religion are usually waiting for something to happen.  I used a piece of wood for my canvas and oil paint sticks.

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This piece is about those waiting to be something great or for something great, This piece wanted to resemble maybe what it feels like to be recognized for such after waiting for so long.

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506. "surrounded by thought" by Lily Castillo

11th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson

Artist statement: I have recently started oil painting from the beginning of the school year. I tend to use pictures of what I have but if needed I'll find a reference online that best matches the details I need. I use most of the oil paints and canvases from my school, other than that I use my own paint brushes. I tend to get inspiration from personal experiences which matches the concentration of my work of art.

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personal painting of things that had constantly surrounded myself everyday and affected my mentality. resembling moments that happened and couldn't stop appearing like flashbacks.

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507. "Throughout" by Sunny McInnis

12th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson

Artist statement: I want to have made my dog feel as happy and cared for as she has made me. This piece’s goal is to represent the comfort I have with my dog in that way, she has provided me and my family with so much support just by being there for us to pet her. Within this project I’ve learned how to use my patience to an advantage and put in little details like her aging fur.

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My loving dog resting by my side on our cozy couch.

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508. "Holding Hands and Life Was Perfect" by Roman Alaniz

12th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson

Artist statement: I was inspired by My Chemical Romance's song- Early Sunsets Over Monroeville. It represents the feeling of perfection and new life that a relationship can bring you. I painted this piece using acrylic.

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This piece is of my boyfriend and me holding hands in front of blurry foliage.

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509. "Glowlights Bounty" by Robin Jeschke

12th Grade, Open Doors Marysville

Teacher: Chaney Lindsay

Artist statement: Glowlights bounty was painted out of a need for more color in my life. As artists we are constantly growing and changing so as an homage to my previous work I’ve painted the things I love like deer but with a new spin of bright colors. From this painting I learned to embrace change and new beginnings. If I could do anything differently I’d make it more vibrant to truly embrace the meaning.

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Glowlights Bounty is an acrylic painting on stretch canvas of a brightly colored array bats and a deer on a background of swirly blue and yellow stars.

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510. "Betrayal of the self" by Robin Jeschke

12th Grade, Open Doors Marysville

Teacher: Chaney Lindsay

Artist statement: The painting is inspired by a poem I once read about how borzois (a descendant of wolves) were bred to hunt the very thing the cave from. The big thing I learned from that is the intense feeling that comes from knowing something of your creation is made to destroy you. If I had to do it over again I would push the colors a bit more to increase the drama.

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Betrayal of the self is a dark colored painting depicting a stand off between a wolf and a borzoi on a dark blue sky background with snow.

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511. "Color of Me" by Violette Harris, 10th Grade, HomeConnection (Oak Harbor)

Teacher: Mary Ellen O'Connor

Artist statement: My art teacher gave us an assignment to create a portrait of ourselves using primary colors to mix our own paint. I decided to paint myself using only various shades of purple because it is a color that I tend to identify myself with. I mixed the shades of purple that I used myself and that gave a very personalized feel to my painting. I really wanted it to be a representation of my personality.

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I used a photograph of myself to create a painting using a  purple monochromatic color scheme.

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512. "Starry Night" by Rylie Wilber

10th Grade, Concrete High School

Teacher: Paul Rider

Artist statement: Whenever I feel overwhelmed I find peace in the dark back road with a starry night.

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The most important thing I learned was: Don't rush. Learn to blend better.

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513. "Road" by April Whidden, 9th Grade, Concrete High School.

Teacher: Paul Rider.

Artist statement: I drew it up first and did it because of realism. It represents calmness.

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The most important thing I learned was to appreciate realism. It shows what's real instead of blind eye.

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514. "The Solemn Salmon" by Remington Pritchard

9th Grade, Concrete High School

Teacher: Paul Rider

Artist statement: The most important thing I learned was how to use and apply paint to a canvas and how to mix paint. Not knowing how to paint, or achieve desired traits using the paint, and learning how to do it as it happened, was the major problem at the heart of this piece of art.

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Not knowing how to paint, or achieve desired traits using the paint, and learning how to do it as it happened, was the major problem at the heart of this piece of art.

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515. "Dream State" by Grace Petosa

9th Grade, Concrete High School

Teacher: Paul Rider

Artist statement: The major idea of my project is how a magical garden would look in your dream.

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The most important thing I learned from this project is don't sell yourself short because you can always do better.

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516. "Space Junk" by Aurora Palmer

9th Grade, Concrete High School

Teacher: Paul Rider

Artist statement: Junk loose in space. The most important thing I learned was about detail. It looks good with detail.

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517. "Above Snakes" by Peyton Bodenhafer

10th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson.

Artist statement: This work explores the radiant American West, inspired by Arizona’s rugged landscapes and cowboys. An orange acrylic underpainting on canvas establishes warmth and luminosity reminiscent of the desert, while the oil paint builds depth and texture, allowing the landscape to emerge with vibrancy.

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My art displays a cowboy aiming his rifle toward the distance atop of a beige horse. A colorful sunset is displayed within the rock formations, painting an orange light over the landscape.

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Winner: Judges' Favorite

Winner: CWU Scholarship Award

518. "Pucker Face" by Gwen Miller

11th Grade, Oak Harbor High School.

Teacher: Kit Christopherson

Artist statement: For this piece, I wanted to focus on how emotions are read on faces, using a photo of me as a child as a reference. I also wanted to show depth of field with the lizard, sharpening it relative to the face to add more dimension to the piece. I was inspired by the style of many Renaissance painters and their ability to seamlessly transition shadows and tones on faces.

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An oil painting of a child with a lizard on her nose and a puckered smile

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519. "Kite Festival" by Gwen Miller

11th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson

Artist statement: I was inspired by Mary Cassatt's style while painting this piece. I was inspired by her ability to capture sentimental moments in an incredibly smooth, delicate manner. I wanted to give this piece a memory-like feel, with less emotionally impactful parts blurred while the main features of the subject remain sharper.

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Oil Painting of a toddler lovingly holding a teddy bear she got during the Coupeville Kite Festival.

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520. "Reunion" by Gwen Miller

11th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson

Artist statement: I depicted one of my most cherished childhood moments: reuniting with my father after a year of deployment. I used oil paint to create this, wanting to give it a soft, memory-like feel. I focused on my father's face, as that is what I remembered most, while the rest remains softer. I created this from a photo my mother took, hoping to capture raw emotions the camera couldn't.

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My sister (right) and I (left) running up to our father after he returns from deployment. He is still in his flight gear, standing before a Growler jet, holding his helmet and flowers.

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521. "Innocentia" by Aaliyah Erickson

10th Grade, Bellingham High School

Teacher: Catherine Gerich

Artist statement: I really wanted to capture childhood innocence! Slowly I was thinking of things to show this & came up with numerous ideas. Originally I wanted a little girl in a field with her mom picking flowers just from seeing lots of photos similar to that, however I talked with my mom & we both agreed it should be a little more original & imaginative & I saw a painting of a rose in half color & not & voilà!

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I wanted to capture how when you’re young the world seem so colorful/magical and just how much children bring light to this sometimes dull world.

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522. "Stars and Stripes" by Reese Wasinger

12th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson

Artist statement: Recently, my grandfather and I rediscovered his father's flag, which had not been displayed, much less unfolded, since his funeral. After this surge of inspiration, my goal was to gracefully portray the movement and lighting of the draped flag, while representing my unique connection to those who have served our country, through my own family and the Navy community of Oak Harbor.

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This piece is a traditional oil painting depicting a waving and almost defiantly draped U.S. flag, with a focus on the deep and rich colors that have defined the symbol throughout American history.

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523. "Blue-chromatic" by Reign Harris

9th Grade, HomeConnection (Oak Harbor)

Teacher: Mary Ellen O'Connor.

Artist statement: I painted this for a class project. The whole class was doing a monochromatic painting as a project. We all got our pictures done by one of the teachers and he used a website to edit the colors. I'm not sure how he did it but I got mine back and decided to paint it all blue. Some other people also did blue. Once I was done painting, I looked at it from afar and thought, "I did a good job."

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The painting I did is of me and it is in a monochromatic style. I only used blue paint and added hues and tints to get different blue shades. I traced a picture of myself to know the shapes to paint.

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524. "Sight" by Eliza Tidwell

9th Grade, HomeConnection (Oak Harbor)

Teacher: Mary Ellen O'Connor

Artist statement: While making this piece I focused on lenses. As we acknowledge our lenses, we are better able to recognize our assumptions and prejudices. I love the idea that we reflect the colors we see, and the decisions we make. If I were to make this piece again I would make the figure under the bridge more prominent, and spend more time on the values in the original sketches.

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Watercolor sunset with a pencil bridge. Also features a person under the bridge and figures crossing.

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525. "The Extinction" by Matthew Koss

9th Grade, Concrete High School

Teacher: Paul Rider

Artist statement: It's the first thing I could think of to paint. I also thought about asteroids and dinos. The most important thing I learned was to blend a bit more.

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It's the first thing I could think of to paint. I also thought about asteroids and dinos. 

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526. "Vanilla Perfume" by Lily Johnston

10th Grade, Concrete High School

Teacher: Paul Rider.

Artist statement: Such a nice smell, feels calming. I feel like this is what it's like when a sweet smell is in the heart of someone.

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The most important thing I learned was to add details after you got the base and mediums.

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527. "Beautiful View" by Adriana Damian-Barrera

10th Grade, Concrete High School

Teacher: Paul Rider

Artist statement: The major idea was to express what a beautiful view looks like. The most important thing I learned was not to use acrylic; use oil paints.

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The most important thing I learned was not to use acrylic; use oil paints.

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528. "Just a Touch of Mouse" by Keller Crane

10th Grade, Concrete High School

Teacher: Paul Rider

Artist statement: I wanted to do something weird so it would stand out.

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I thought I hated painting but I actually like it.

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529. "My View" by Lylla Ashe

10th Grade, Concrete High School

Teacher: Paul Rider

Artist statement: The major idea of my art work is it's a view from my window of Sauk Mt. at sundown. I also added the river that flows through our town.

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I learned it's good to take your time when you're painting and it's good to try new things and get other people's insights.

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201. "Yapping All Day Long" by Kyra Jacobs

11th Grade, Oak Harbor High School.

Teacher: Kit Christopherson

Artist statement: The Idea of someone talking all day and all night on the phone. I thought the idea was funny, So I went along with it. The process was fast and easy, at first I couldn't focus because it looked unnatural to me, and then out of no where, I got all my focus back on it and finished in one night. The tools I used for this was a soft egg brush and opaque erase brush. The text was just the normal text.

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This piece took around 7Hrs and 44m, I'm happy it didn't crash in the middle of it. It was Drawn on Procreate

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202. "Stories Coming to Life" by Kyra Jacobs

11th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson

Artist statement: The love trope of a Jester and Princess is what mostly inspired me, since I have always been a big fan of that trope. I can't say there was a specific song, art, or idea that inspired me the most, I tend to think of this by myself since I have a lot of free time. For the digital process, This piece was created on Procreate. Tools I had used was smooth brushes that can create a slight pencil look.

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This art piece was created on Procreate, I have spent around 13hrs and 35m on this piece, So at least hope that it does well.

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Winner: Judge's Favorite

Winner: NWESD Staff Favorite

203. "Stained Glass" by Miyabi Leelaphisut

10th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson

Artist statement: I was inspired by stained glass from churches and the Autumn Landscape, Tiffany Studios, 1923 from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. I wanted to create an effect of glass and oil paint into this piece, as well as adding many colors throughout my entire piece like how stained glass reflects a variety of beautiful colors while also maintaining a calm atmosphere in my art piece.

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A woman standing in front of a bright stained glass window.

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204. "Illusion" by Miyabi Leelaphisut

10th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson

Artist statement: I was inspired by the jellyfish species Pelagia Noctiluca and the chrysaora quinquecirrha. I wanted to invoke this feeling of wandering and calming luminous light in the darkness of the deep sea, using swirls and spirals to represent confusion as she drifts through the quiet sea. I used Krita and experimented more with different types of brushes to get the feelings I wanted.

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This piece is a jellyfish as a human wandering the deep sea along with other jellyfish.

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205. "Ballad #4" by Jaira Dee Dones

12th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson

Artist statement: This whole piece was loosely inspired by a photo my photographer friend had taken of me during a half-time performance during the ballad portion of the show. I intended to capture the serenity and flow of this specific movement, which I learned to do by reducing the amount of detail and focusing more on how it feels from afar. I used procreate to sketch, render, and eventually upload my piece.

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A digital piece encapsulating flow and serenity, deriving from the show "79 A.D" (performed by the OHHS Wildcat Marching Band).

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206. "King Shybie" by Harlee Francesconi

12th Grade, Glacier Peak High School (Snohomish)

Teacher: Patricia Francesconi

Artist statement: I wanted to represent a young boy that had been through many adversities already at such a young age. The boy has earned his crown for his bravery yet is not entirely happy because of what he had to go through to get to this point in his life. I struggled with the background and had to learn about color theory and lighting so that it looked like he was in the woods. I would redo the background.

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A young boy playing that he's being crowned king in the woods.

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207. "Independent Living" by Alex Olson, 12th Grade, Concrete High School

Teacher: Paul Rider

Artist statement: Exposing the Independent Living classes work and what they do (for the yearbook). We use Adobe Bridge to retrieve images and Adobe Illustrator for page design.

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Exposing the Independent Living classes work and what they do (for the yearbook). We use Adobe Bridge to retrieve images and Adobe Illustrator for page design.

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208. "OctoGirl" by SaMari Davis

11th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson.

Artist statement: The process for this piece is that I wanted to make a human-like creature, but still keep the anima features very present, so I blended the two to make her. The tools I used are a brush I created to paint the overall body and head, when i finshed the painting i duplicated the figure and changed the colors to look like the poisonous/warning colors of nature and placed them over each other.

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My piece is of a red humanoid octopus with different color variations behind her to symbolize the warning colors of nature.

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303. "Trampoline Times" by Olive Furber

10th Grade, Friday Harbor High School

Teacher: Andrew Anderson

Artist statement: Childhood memories inspired me in a place I often visited — a trampoline. This piece offers an abstract perspective on the fear of passing time and how aging's dullness can affect my memories. To create it, I used colored pencils and dark-hued magazine clippings to express deep emotion. I applied glue and paint to darken the colors and amplify the sense of fear.

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My art submission is an abstract version of a trampoline; the bottom is a clock, and the top is a collage of magazine cutouts about time passing. The background shows springs laid out in a pattern.

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304. "The Karma of Kindness" by Eli Kinkel

11th Grade, Burlington-Edison High School

Teacher: Suzanne McLelland

Artist statement: What inspired me to create this piece was the word karma, i interpret this as a name and as something that can happen to you.  Karma can surprise you and karma can make you sad that is the mood i have created for this piece they contrast in such a meaningful way.

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This art submission is made primarily of marker and consists of a cool and desaturated color palate with yellow tints and pink accents. this art submission is intended to invoke emotions.

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Winner: Judges' Favorite

Winner: CWU Scholarship Award

305. "Mother" by McKenzie Burdick

11th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson

Artist statement: This piece was inspired by the close observation of my chicken's everyday life. I wanted to capture the detail and intensity of her because she was broody when I took the photo. One thing I wanted to focus on was getting the contrast in the black feathers by using different blues, greens, and whites. This further emphasized the detail in the drawing. I used colored pencils and a white gel pen.

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My submission is a colored pencil drawing of my pet chicken that I drew with Prismacolor pencils.

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306. "C Flat" by Harlee Francesconi

12th Grade, Glacier Peak High School (Snohomish)

Teacher: Jennifer Holcombe

Artist statement: I began playing clarinet in middle school when I needed to choose an instrument I was inspired by my mother who also played clarinet.  When I showed interest, my mother gifted me her antique clarinet which I learned to play and fell in love with.

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A colored pencil self portrait of the instrument clarinet that I play, playing C flat

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307. "Broken Reflection" by Violette Harris

10th Grade, HomeConnection (Oak Harbor)

Teacher: Mary Ellen O'Connor

Artist statement: I have always loved to portray character development.  In a pilgrim town, there is a lot of suspicion. When a person is always told they are one thing, they can start to believe it's true. The shattered reflection represents what the character is perceived to be like, and also foreshadows what she could become if she goes along with it. It also represents her broken self-image because of this.

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My piece depicts a young pilgrim woman. She is inside her home holding a broom and standing above a mirror shattered on the floor. In the mirror is her reflection, only she is dressed as a witch.

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308. "Sprout" by Morgan Kleppang

12th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson

Artist statement: I was inspired by a channel I used to watch as a kid. Sprout was a channel owned by PBS. The most important thing I learned from this piece was to not be so hard on myself, because I ended up really liking how it had turned out. If I were to redo the piece, I’d probably paint it in watercolor.

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My art is of a sunflower, sprouting up from the clouds. Hence the name.

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309. "Overgrown" by Sarina Randolph

12th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson

Artist statement: I was inspired to create "Overgrown" to explore hair, because it's a huge part of identity. Unlike my siblings, mine was always wavier and curlier, so it took a long time to learn to care for my hair and accept myself as I was. This piece allowed me to have fun blending strands into swirling patterns, over the paper's bumpy texture. My hair will never be silky straight and that's wonderful.

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"Overgrown" is a small-scale oil pastel art work, centered on capturing serenity and hair.

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310. "whispers behind the fan" by Nohea Kelley

11th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson

Artist statement: I really enjoy drawing photos with graphite of meaningful memories. Especially ones when I was little.

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It is a photo of me when I was little holding a fan I had bought from the carnival pop up store.

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311. "Snow day" by Nohea Kelley

11th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson

Artist statement: I really liked looking back on photos of me and my cousins when we were little since it has a lot of good memories behind it. I used a lot of pencil and a tiny bit of charcoal to create this piece.

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It is a photo of me and my cousin in the snow when we were little.

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312. "Highs and Lows" by Jasper Mahn

10th Grade, Friday Harbor High School

Teacher: Andrew Anderson.

Artist statement: I believe that joy is one of the most important things in life. Inspired by this idea, I focused my piece on how I find joy through hard-earned accomplishment. I used the imagery of two climbers on a mountain for both the symbolism of struggle and the direct connection to my own life, representing my love of hiking, not only for the beauty of nature, but also for the fulfillment of struggle.

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One climber proudly stands atop the mountain, having worked hard to achieve his goals, symbolized by constellations. The other is dejected, having given up on himself before accomplishing his dreams.

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Winner: BEST IN SHOW

(Judges' Favorite, NWESD Staff Favorite, CWU Scholarship Award)

313. "For N." by Joel Bennett

11th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson.

Artist statement: A close friend and I learned how to draw pointillism along side each other last year, he is very talented but is not very passionate about art. The first and only pointillism piece he created used a very similar  reference image as this piece. His piece was incredible but he never got around to finishing it. We drifted apart over the year, but I wanted to create something that paid homage to him. This is the first piece of my AP drawing portfolio. Each piece in my portfolio is pen and ink stippling/pointillism. This is my biggest piece this year and took hundreds of hours. (ZOOM IN)

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This is the first piece of my AP drawing portfolio. Each piece in my portfolio is pen and ink stippling/pointilism. This is my biggest piece this year and took hundreds of hours. (ZOOM IN)

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314. "Cake Cups" by Sarah Pearson

12th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson

Artist statement: I found the image of the Cake Cups on Unsplash uploaded by Fumiaki Hayashi. I chose this photo because of the way the glass was illuminated, the glow makes the food so much more delicious and I wanted to capture that.

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Glass cups full of cake and strawberries done in colored pencils.

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315. "Still Lamp" by Reign Harris

9th Grade, HomeConnection (Oak Harbor)

Teacher: Mary Ellen O'Connor.

Artist statement: How I came up with this idea is actually a very funny story. I was in my art class and we were doing still life's. I had never done a still life before so I was a little nervous I was going to draw something terrible. I drew everything on the plate and called it good. My teacher came over and asked me if I could anymore. So I looked at the shape I drew, and it came to me. I made it into a lamp.

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My art submission is a drawing made with paper and pencil. The drawing itself is of a still life that I turned into a lamp.

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316. "The Boiler-Cap" by Cole Williamson

9th Grade, Cavelero Mid High School (Lake Stevens)

Teacher: Kristina Sass

Artist statement: I was inspired by my biology class where we went into depth about climate change. I was outraged at how humanity is destroying the very thing that makes us whole. This is symbolized in the artwork through the visualization of a giant factory MADE from mushrooms harvesting mushrooms. It’s basically a message about how humans are consuming the planet, ruining ourselves and destroying our home.

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This drawing was an art project with a Steampunk theme and I simply began drawing. Midway, I saw that I was forming a meaningful tale with each pencil stroke. I was a true artist: a new identity.

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317. "Sun and Moon" by Katherine Brett, 11th Grade, Griffin Bay (San Juan Island)

Teacher: River Wylde

Artist statement: This drawing shows how even though the sun and moon are never in the same place, when conditions are right the moon covers the sun in an eclipse and the atmosphere dances and the two share a heart. I drew this to show how the sun and moon can bring light and dark together to create love and harmony.

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318. "Self" by Anna Sluis

12th Grade, Griffin Bay (San Juan Island)

Teacher: River Wylde.

Artist statement: "Self" is a self portrait of me that is showing no expression to anything. Taking from this piece is that this is what I look like on the outside. Minding my business. But no one will ask me what my thoughts or opinions are. Or really talk to me. If they do, they will get to see the real me. No one will ask me what I am, So my face will look like this till someone does.

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319. "Sea Yourself" by Sailor Huntemer

9th Grade, Griffin Bay (San Juan Island)

Teacher: River Wylde

Artist statement: “Sea Yourself ” is about seeing beyond what you look like on the outside, and more who you are as a person and what's in your heart. I am from the coast and to depict that I drew fish that are connected by bull kelp, around me. Additionally, there are waves that are flowing around the page. The waves also have holes in them, that symbolize imperfection.

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320. "Dog and Sword" by Waren Patilla

12th Grade, Oak Harbor High School

Teacher: Kit Christopherson.

Artist statement: Something that inspired me is the painting of Napoleon riding his horse, I really like the dynamic pose so Instead of a horse I put my dog and made him the size of a horse. I did a lot of photo bashing to really get a reference for that pose because I cannot draw a pose like that from the top of my head. For this piece I used graphite pencils.

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For this piece I wanted to draw my dog and I but I didn't want it to be some boring portrait full body drawing of me and my dog. So I brainstormed on what I can do and I came up with me riding my dog.

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321. "Have and Have Not" by Francesca Pignatiello

11th Grade, Friday Harbor High School

Teacher: Andrew Anderson.

Artist statement: I was inspired by the increasing homeless population in Washington state and how I feel as an individual with a warm, safe, and locked home. My own family inspired me, in contrast to the many on the street who struggle to find basic needs. I tried to show the safety and comfort I felt when at home, and the stark contrast to the lives that don't resonate with my life and experiences.

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My artwork shows a glowing yellow house with family symbols for safety and warmth. Around it are dark blue and gray shelters representing homelessness, contrasting with the comfort of my own home.

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322. "Heaven's House" by Lillianna Frisinger

9th Grade, HomeConnection (Oak Harbor)

Teacher: Mary Ellen O'Connor

Artist statement: When i first entered this sanctuary it was through those doors at the end of the isle. I wanted to capture the idea of reflecting on the past, the shadows, the bright places and everything in between. I was amazed by the way that the monochromatic qualities of the interior of the sanctuary set off the vibrant stained glass of the windows and autumn leaves outside.

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It is a drawing done in graphite of the monochromatic interior of a church with stained glass windows completed with colored pencils.