Wednesday, March 26, 2026

Talbott Event Center (4202 S. Regal St., Spokane)

Gallery Walk, 4:00-5:00 pm

Ceremony, 5:00-6:00 pm

February 9, 2026 Regional Show open to the public through March 25, 2026

M-F from 7:30 am-4:00 pm

District:         Innovation

School:         Innovation High School

Medium:       Oil Paint

Inspiration:   This portrait explores emotional visibility. The woman is warm toned against a cool background to convey the emotional intensity and create distance between the two spaces. The figured upward gaze suggests reflection.

District:         Freeman

School:         Freeman High School

Medium:       Gouache

Inspiration:   This painting captures the stillness in the moment. i wanted this painting to make the viewer stop and admire. This painting shows the various hues in pears.

District:         Innovation

School:         Innovation High School

Medium:       Oil Paint

Inspiration:   I love Citrus fruit they remind me of summer and happiness.

District:         Innovation

School:          Innovation High School

Medium:       Oil Paint

Inspiration:   I found myself picturing a woman wrapped in a white cloth, holding white oleander flowers to her lips as if she was kissing them. At first glance, she radiates an essence of purity, ready for the taking, perfect for the lustful, but she successfully lures the uninformed into her trap, for the oleander is poisonous.

District:        Selkirk

School:         Selkirk High School

Medium:      Acrylic

Inspiration:   This painting marks a big shift for me. I used to actually dislike painting because it felt so frustrating. Recently though, I’ve been spending a lot of time working on my skills and I finally enjoy it. The process feels calm now rather than frustrating. I am very proud of this specific painting, because I pushed myself to paint a whole scene rather than just a character.

District:        Innovation

School:         Innovation High School

Medium:      Oil Paint

Inspiration:   My art is a representation of the past, and its effect on the present. I use my Pieces to portray what it's like to continue living with memories from the past that continue to warp current day view, using it as a way to convey feelings and experiences that can't be spoken aloud.

District:         Mead

School:         Mead High School

Medium:        Acrylic Paint, Posca Markers

Inspiration:   My work reflects life like a night sky: many exist like fixed stars, steady and unmoving, while a few move like shooting stars, chasing direction despite the burn. The stillness is survival; the motion is risk. Meaning forms where someone chooses to cross the dark instead of blend into it.

District:         Innovation

School:          Innovation High School

Medium:        Oil

Award: NEWESD 101 Staff Choice Award

Inspiration:   My piece is my own version of 'The Death of Sappho' by Charles Amable Lenoir which is a popular painting that depicts a poet, Sappho, who is about to jump off a cliff in an attempt to take her life. In my piece however it depicts the story of the goddesses of the moon who feels forever drawn to the ocean and is on the verge of jumping in the forever be with her.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   Throughout my life I've struggled with seasonal depression and feeling unmotivated during winter. This year I focused on my growth as a person and understanding what I can and can't control. Deciphering the difficult thoughts from the unnecessary thoughts has been a struggle, however connecting with nature on daily walks, and the beauty of our earth has helped to cleanse my mind.

District:         Innovation

School:          Innovation High School

Medium:        Oil Paint

Inspiration:   My medium of choice is oil painting, and I absolutely love getting lost in the process. I am drawn to the realism of the Renaissance period, which has always captured my eye. My hope is that my art will leave a lasting impression on those who see it.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   A lonely bride walks down the aisle on her wedding, but she doesn't smile. Her veil drapes the hydrangeas that represent a childhood that has long been stripped away. A semicolon on her wrist a widely accepted symbol of someone who survived a suicide or their suicidal thoughts. She doesn't hide her scars that affect her since she still has many hardships ahead as she walks towards her future.

District:         Spokane International Academy

School:         Spokane International Academy

Medium:        Canvas

Inspiration:   For this piece I wanted to portray a gloomy day that felt like something was being left behind. Like a past that has only ended. The dock represents the feeling of being left behind, and the boat of the things that have left. I would say that the gray tones are tying everything to make the scenery small and compacted.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Acrylic Paint

Inspiration:   My art piece is based on the impact of how fear restricts you. The hands represent yourself, and the string represents how you are restricting yourself. This piece is abstract, with representations of humans in the background, as if they were an audience. This piece shows how you try to get free from the fears you perceive.

District:         Central Valley

School:          Central Valley High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   My piece is based on the relationship between my older brother and me. My parents immigrated from Mexico for better opportunities for their soon-to-be family, and because of the sacrifices they made it would be selfish for us not to succeed. I hold resentment towards my brother for not taking advantage of the opportunities we have. I know my parents' sacrifice can’t be in vain. So I must succeed.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Central Valley High School

Medium:        Acrylic Paint

Inspiration:   This work expresses how even in dark times, intense and vibrant emotions can still exist. The fruits represent parts of myself: the sweet, the vulnerable and the deeply feeling. The black background symbolizes silence or difficult periods, while the strong colors show that I continue to feel, live, and shine. The dripping paint reflects emotions that spill out even when I try to hide them.

District:         Spokane International Academy

School:         Spokane International Academy

Medium:        American Flag, Staples, Acrylic Paint

Inspiration:   In the past year our government’s secret police have been ripping families apart, deporting people, and killing, without a care. It is thoughtless, and robotic, simply loyalty to a leader who does not serve the people. This art piece is a criticism of the institution that has allowed these injustices to go on.

Inspiration: “Mama, just killed a man” Bohemian Rhapsody in modern context

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Acrylic Paint

Inspiration:   Immense power, healing and moving forward. Having strength like a tiger. The girl laying with the tiger whom represents ferocity and protection, signifying independence and the raw energy to face challenges. The moon represents renewal and transformation.

District:         Pullman

School:         Pullman High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   I am drawn atmosphere of overlooked, especially at night. I found this piece to capture that feeling, leaving the viewer with a sense of curiosity and isolation. One of my favorite things to paint is ordinary places with the dim glow of artificial lights surrounding and upon it. Night Shift seems like a place you have seen before, lingering slightly out of your reach.

District:         Cheney

School:         Cheney High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   I drew this piece because I was inspired by Alaska's beautiful night skies, My medium is acrylic since it was the medium we were focused on in class. I am proud of the sky and it looks similar to space, which was not intended. If I could go back I would change the trees though overall I think my piece is my most successful one i've done with acrylic.

District:         Riverside

School:         Riverside High School

Medium:       Watercolor and Acrylic

Inspiration:   This art serves as a connection piece between my family and me. My love for the stars has influenced the constellation aspect in this piece. My specific choice of Ursa Major/Minor comes from those being the first constellations my Mom taught me how to find as a kid. The skyline of Anchorage and the art reminiscent of that of Alaskan Natives stems from my Dad's side of my family, who came from Alaska.

District:         Spokane

School:          Joel E. Ferris High School

Medium:        Oil Paint

Inspiration:   This piece holds a very special place in my heart because it represents a very personal emotional struggle. The calmness of the water juxtaposed with the rigged, domineering nature of the mountains represents my creative vision versus the conforming pressures of society.

District:         Spokane

School:         Lewis and Clark High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   This painting was really fun because it tested my perception of balance and value. Painting the piece was hard but also rewarding. Because of the shapes were not organic and more rigid, it was hard to paint the lines straight and not go astray from the sketch. One thing I got to practice in this painting was color mixing and value changes.

District:         Freeman

School:         Freeman High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   Maynard brings together shapes that feel both organic and structured, overlapping like quiet, unfinished thoughts. Soft color and darker space create contrast without tension. The piece sits somewhere between order and drift, inviting the viewer to slow down and let the forms coexist naturally.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Watercolor, Colored Pencil

Inspiration:   “Ride the Tide” is an emotional‑control technique where you “ride the wave” of feelings; acknowledging, embracing, and letting them go. The changing clarity of the smiles shows how the technique shifted me from sadness and self‑doubt to confidence. I hope my piece encourages others to face their emotions with the same courage.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Central Valley High School

Medium:        Graphite, Watercolor

Inspiration:   From the early 1900s a traditional Japanese symbol of beauty and prosperity. commonly used by young woman in their coming of age, or Samurai's showing their royalty and loyalty to Japan. This tradition was also used as a protective layer from cavities.

District:         Cheney

School:         Cheney High School

Medium:        Colored Pencil, White Gel Pens, and Paint

Inspiration:   This piece alludes to my journey with self harm, it’s an allegory for self destructive behavior. The bathtub represents a moment of weightlessness, but you have to exit the tub eventually. When you do, you will feel the weight of the clothes, how they cling uncomfortably to your skin; sooner or later you will have to face the weight of your actions, but even so, there is a sick comfort in that.

District:         Central Valley

School:          Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Watercolor, Acrylic Paint, and Color Pencil

Inspiration:   This piece is used in an SI to explore how humanity is connected across cultures by demonstrating Japan's people, dress, landscape, and the human intestines.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Acrylic Paint

Inspiration:   This piece is inspired by a photo of me and my best friend taken after preschool. She is family to me, like another sister, who has been by my side through everything. The feeling of childhood nostalgia and meaning of our friendship inspired me. The black and white represents the past, contrasting with the background that reflects the joy and carefree nature of being a kid with your best friend.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Colored Pencil

Inspiration:   Regardless of the different places and cultures the billions of us all come from, we share more similarities than we than we think. Enjoying friendships, pop culture, little trinkets, and the comfort of our homes--how lucky are we to be alive? This piece highlights the differences and similarities even our neighbors have as they live on the times.

District:         Cheney

School:         Cheney High School

Medium:        Markers

Inspiration:   This shows the three emotions that almost everyone feels. Anger, Sadness, and Happiness. These are the only feelings that are the most organized yet are most likely to change shape and flower into something greater or worse.

Student:        Lilly Swenson

District:         Deer Park

School:         Deer Park High School

Medium:        Mixed Media

Inspiration:   An art class contest in which we were instructed to depict "Stagsquatch," a combination of our school mascot and the legendary bigfoot, conjured visions of classic horror films like Frankenstein, Dracula, and even...Scooby Doo! Following a preliminary sketch I applied color with alcohol pens, color pencil, and finally acrylic paint.

District:         Spokane

School:         Lewis and Clark High School

Medium:        Micron Pens and Felt Tip Markers

Inspiration:   NA

District:         Innovation

School:          Innovation High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   In this acrylic painting I attempt to capture the relaxing feeling of a lunch at home. The piece shows a mug and a bowl of curry and rice in the foreground, with an TV and fan in the background. A familiar location with familiar food to show the comfort of home.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   When you feel alone and weak, this is the reminder that we can get through the rough the tough and enough together. So long as you have someone, you'll never be alone.

District:         Pullman

School:         Pullman High School

Medium:        Acrylic Paint

Inspiration:   Based on the tale of Sisyphus.

District:         Pullman

School:          Pullman High School

Medium:        Acrylic paint

Inspiration:   This painting was inspired by “Paradise Lost” by John Milton. It depicts Lucifer’s fall from grace, from heaven into hell. As he falls, Lucifer reaches out one last time towards the divinity he has forsaken, before he is engulfed in hellfire.

District:         Spokane

School:         Lewis and Clark High School

Medium:        Acrylic Pen

Inspiration:   I was inspired by a picture of me taken at the Iao Needle when I was 7. I wanted to contrast the fairytale-like setting with my grumpy attitude. This inspiration captures how kids, for a brief time, see themselves and their feelings as the center of the universe and are oblivious to the beauty around them. I hope my artwork conveys both the vast beauty of nature and vast feelings kids experience.

District:         Mead

School:         Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Colored Pencil and Acrylic Paint

Inspiration:   Two skeletons are intended to show what lies beneath human flesh, the title implying you love every part of someone even the things you cannot naturally see. My inspiration comes from diaphonized and preserved animal skeletons as well as iron work for the border.

District:         Reardan-Edwall

School:         Reardan High School

Medium:        Oil Pastels

Inspiration:   My inspiration for this piece was to put one of my favorite animals into the perspective of it's prey while using my favorite medium.

Loop-Di-Loop

Student:        Kainyn Hansen

District:         Cheney

School:         Cheney High School

Medium:        Watercolor

Inspiration:   My painting shows the way they can get lost in a loop of possibilities. They lose themselves in choices they could have made and behind these many different decisions. This is shown in the Many different faces, each one showing the different decisions someone could have made. Following the direction of their eyes will lead you around the page in a Loop-Di-Loop of emotions, from joy to anger.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Colored Pencils

Inspiration:   This piece entails the limited knowledge that people have about other people, and how comparison can cultivate itself so deep in one's head that they constantly think about being judged. At first glance, you may not notice the small girl on the lily pad, ensnared ahead of the "face" she has made up in her head as she compares herself to the other flowers, but her lily pad just hasn't bloomed yet.

District:         Mead

School:         Mead High School

Medium:        Watercolor

Inspiration:   I painted this of my favorite type of flower, a Stargazer Lily. I used a large amount of green in this painting, I felt like it made the painting look more peaceful like the flowers are in the middle of a forest. I wanted the flowers to stand out and used blank white space and dark pinks to make them contrast with the dark green in the background and foreground.

District:         Mead

School:         Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Watercolor and Colored Pencil

Inspiration:   “Everyone has a seat at the Table” is based on the DaVinci painting “The Last Supper”. My painting is important to me as it shows the diversity of every ethnicity, gender, and sexuality in a scene where once white men only sat. I added the drag queen Ru Paul in the center to represent diversity and that everyone is welcome at “my version of the table”.

District:         Chewelah

School:         Jenkins Jr./Sr. High School

Medium:        Colored Pencil

Inspiration:   this little drawing is a mushroom made of bones, it combines the barter faire vibe with my own style and reminds me of the wonderful artwork you can only find at these carefree summer events.

District:         Medical Lake

School:         Medical Lake High School

Medium:        Colored Pencil

Inspiration:   My piece of art represents a nice summer drive through the mountain range. I like how the color pencil layers on the mountains, and the ground is nice, and it looks realistic. I like how the truck pops in the picture; it takes the center of attention.

District:         Spokane

School:         Lewis and Clark High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   My name is Lyla, and I am a junior at Lewis and Clark High School. With lots of care, I created this acrylic piece, Impossible Stairs, to express emotions and perspectives that words often fail to capture. The stairs symbolize the feeling of an impossible climb, while the colors reflect the importance of maintaining a colorful perspective and finding beauty, even when the outcome is uncertain.

District:         Medical Lake

School:         Medical Lake High School

Medium:        Watercolor and Black Pen

Inspiration:   This piece uses watercolor and pen to highlight the fact that sometimes, childhood memories go beyond the frame of reality. When I was young, I would walk around my childhood neighborhood, towing a wagon. Inside was my cat, Shadow. As time spurs on, I get older; so does he. The shadows may be dark, but there's light ahead. The shadows are only there because light dared to shine.

District:         Medical Lake

School:         Medical Lake High School

Medium:        Mixed Media

Inspiration:   Knowledge and education have been linked to apples; from the giving of apples to teachers in old America, to being the traditional depiction of the Christian forbidden fruit. This watercolor piece is a tribute to the women in my maternal line, and how they have created a path towards education and knowledge upon which I can stand on.

District:         Medical Lake

School:         Medical Lake High School

Medium:        Colored Pencil and Paint Marker

Inspiration:   This piece explores my relationship with identity and gender euphoria. The angel represents becoming myself without apology, flying upward while leaving behind expectations placed on my body. Scars, stars, and color reflect both harm and healing, showing how my identity exists beyond how others see or define me.

District:         Medical Lake

School:         Medical Lake High School

Medium:        Colored Pencil

Inspiration:   This piece was created with colored pencils. I carefully filled in my drawings with a black colored pencil, blending it with a white pencil. A hungry cat gazes at a tempting piece of food, but does not take any action to feed on it. This artwork expresses the lack of will for change and care for oneself. My goal for this piece was to finish it feeling satisfied, which I was successful in doing.

District:         Medical Lake

School:         Medical Lake High School

Medium:        Acrylic Paint

Inspiration:   My art is a rainbow in a cloudy sky. My title is Sky because I want it to be simple and to the point. One technique I used was an ombre for the clouds. One thing that inspired my artwork was imagination. My work expresses vivid imagination and thought, with bold colors and details. My goal as an artist is to learn all about drawing and painting techniques. I learned more ombre with this project.

District:         Reardan-Edwall

School:         Reardan High School

Medium:        Acrylic Paint

Inspiration:   I was inspired to draw a Lion because of the book in the bible Jerimiah. Where the Lion represents power, judgment, and authority.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Acrylic Paint, Paper, Sharpie

Inspiration:   Assimilation explores the struggle with conformity and the profound impact others have on personal identity. My original poem reflects the resentment I carry towards the parts of myself I lost to appease others. The opaque acrylic paint symbolizes my true self obscured beneath external pressures, while brushstrokes and splatters represent the words and actions that made me want to hide.

District:         Spokane

School:         Lewis and Clark High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:  

District:         Newport

School:         Newport High School

Medium:        Gel Pen

Inspiration:   The portrayal of utter chaos mixed with the longing for comfort found within art. I made this piece with the intention of creating creatures with whatever proportions and shapes I wanted, almost as if to draw without concern or fear of what others are to perceive. I chose to use a single gel pen to help showcase the struggle of differentiation between values, adding to the chaos.

District:         Chewelah

School:         Jenkins Jr./Sr. High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   Imagine you go to sleep, and when you wake up all houses are round and insects are huge. There is no way out! Until, you realize it is just... a dream.

District:         Pullman

School:         Pullman High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   City of God or Cidade De Dues is a favela in Rio. My painting depicts a young boy holding spray paint in front of the police. Though Cidade De Dues is a favela it is still a neighborhood with rich and vibrant culture I wanted my painting to reflect that.

District:         Pullman

School:         Pullman High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   I have always loved flowers and bees and how they come together. I love seeing the yellow and black contrast on the soft flowers. I wanted to show that contrast in this piece. In this process I found the right composition of flowers and bees to make the painting feel complete. I think this piece really exemplifies my art by showing my love for nature and colors.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Watercolor, Colored Pencils

Inspiration:   I was inspired by plumeria flowers and spring. I wanted to create a dress that imitated the shape and appearance of a flower, using the petals and stem to make different parts of the dress.

District:         Medical Lake

School:         Medical Lake High School

Medium:        Oil Pastels

Inspiration:   My artwork is based on the cycle of life of flowers.

I created my artwork with poster board and oil pastels.

I chose to do flowers as my art because as

A kid I always loved just doodling little flowers on the sides of my lessons.

My goal was to show how something so beautiful also has an ending just to bloom again.

I loved creating this artwork.

It felt somewhat fulfilling.

District:         Riverside

School:         Riverside High School

Medium:        Watercolor/Pen

Inspiration:   This piece was inspired by the terrifying pirate Blackbeard. He was known to put fuses in his beard and light them to make his beard smoke, making him like a demon, terrifying his foes, which directly inspired the appearance of the beheaded commodore's skull engulfed in smoke. He has a green stitch-mark where his neck would be due to his end being his decapitation by Navy Captain Robert Maynard.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Acrylic Paint

Inspiration:   This artwork shows a bear standing alone as it watches a forest fire destroy its home. The bear represents wildlife forced to suffer the consequences of human actions, while the fire symbolizes destruction caused by carelessness and environmental harm.

District:         Innovation

School:         Innovation High School

Medium:        Soft Oil Pastels

Inspiration:   I always loved sunsets and housed on a hill and I wanted to capture that in my art piece.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   A boy, a child soldier forced into war, stands on the edge of fading reality. His innocence erodes as he brings the same fate to others, surviving through violence. Life becomes a mental and physical torture, numb legs carrying emptiness. Color drains away. A gaunt lamb stands apart, resisting that fate, yet destined to be slaughtered by the child's hands. A forced violence many face.

District:         Central Valley

School:          Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Acrylic Paint, Oil Pastel

Inspiration:   Throughout my life, my faith has been an important part of it. It gets me through hardships and doubt. The story of Moses isn't just magical, but it is also a representation of God's loyalty. He doesn't take promises lightly, and it is shown throughout the book of the Bible. When Moses first meets God, he is overwhelmed with his presence. God chose Moses specifically to represent who he is.

District:         Spokane International Academy

School:         Spokane International Academy

Medium:        Tissue Paper, Aluminum Foil

Inspiration:   I made this piece to remind people that it's about mindset. You can be in a place that most people would think is ugly, or small. Think about being in a cramped forest with no sun, don't right away think of it as a cold, dark place. If you try to look around, you may find something beautiful like a wall with vines all around it, and a door that will let you into the beauty of the forest.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Adobe Illustrator

Inspiration:   This artwork shows the reality of life for influencers. The mask hides true emotions. The artwork shows both sides of this reality. The left side has cameras on as the money pours in. In contrast, on the right side, they're alone with no audience, and the reality is that they're lost with that audience. Everyone has a breaking point.

Student:        Lili'yanna Davis

District:         Kettle Falls

School:          Kettle Falls High School

Medium:        Mixed Media Acrylic Paint and Embroidery

Inspiration:   My work explores the beauty that can exist in loss. Through this piece, I want to show that losing something does not always mean emptiness, but can create space for reflection, growth, and unexpected meaning.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Central Valley High School

Medium:        Paint and Print on Canvas

Inspiration:   My piece is a reflection of the hardship put onto native Americans, being Nooksack myself, I feel the constricting nature that reservations have put on my people, truly feeling out of place in society. This piece exemplifies the feeling of being trapped, and singled out.

District:         Chewelah

School:         Jenkins Jr./Sr. High School

Medium:        Colored Pencil & Alcohol Marker

Inspiration:   The art has no real meaning behind it, as it is just a piece I made of my persona. My persona is heavily based on my own appearance with the exception of the gunshot wound in the right side of it's face, of which was caused by cartoonishly looking down the barrel of a pistol. The art itself is also inspired by the chorus of the Vocaloid song, Hole Dwelling, by Kikuo, featuring Hatsune Miku.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   This piece represents the doubt and unbalanced power dynamic that can occur in human relationships. The crocodile and the plover have a symbiotic relationship called mutualism, the crocodile is in a position of power and the bird is in a position of vulnerability. Even if a relationship with two people is equal, there are still unbalances because of a person's identity.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Watercolor

Inspiration:   My sustained investigation is about how memories can last through generations and how memories can shape someone you might not have known for long. I wanted to examine in my art how my memories mixed with my parents' memories of a person can create a story of their life and how their passions can still be represented today. My SI has led me to explore how loss and memory can create something beautiful.

District:         Medical Lake

School:         Medical Lake High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   Titled “I’m Ok”. I created this painting with acrylic by piling up blotches to make a melting effect. This painting represents the attempt to hold yourself together, even as the unbearable weight of a collapsing mentality begins to unfold; no matter how much you attempt to push yourself together, something flows out unwillingly. This is my representation of depression and the fear to ask for help.

District:         Innovation

School:         Innovation High School

Medium:        Markers

Inspiration:   I made this piece at a figure drawing class which has revitalized my love of art.

District:         Newport

School:         Newport High School

Medium:        Digital Art

Inspiration:   This piece is inspired by the famous Beatles song: “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.” The song is filled with imagery and motion, something I connect deeply with. The lyrics to me always seemed baffling, yet thought provoking. Though only one lyric in particular stood out to me. “A girl with kaleidoscope eyes” I thought to myself; what is more thought provoking than a woman with unexplainable eyes?

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   This art piece demonstrates over consumption that comes with tourism, too many boats can cause there to be very less fish in the ocean.

District:         Mead

School:         Mead High School

Medium:        Oil Pastels

Inspiration:   This self-portrait portrays that fleeting moment of horror, illuminated by the glow of your phone, realizing you are not just a kid staying up past your bedtime on a carefree summer night, but a person that is growing up and abandoning the innocence of childhood. Resembling the tragedy mask, the comedy mask is also represented: growing up means blossoming into the person you were meant to be.

District:         Innovation

School:         Innovation High School

Medium:        Watercolor

Inspiration:   My art piece is painted on water color paper, with water color and shows a whale falling through the sky with flowers in a flowerpot. The flowers are   petunias. This image of the whale and petunias is inspired by a scene from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Acrylic Paint

Inspiration:   This painting reflects the act of looking back on senior year while still living it. The central figure represents the present, surrounded by memories being created in real time. Each scene captures moments with friends and experiences that feel fleeting, showing how senior year becomes meaningful even before it ends.

District:         Chewelah

School:         Jenkins Jr./Sr. High School

Medium:        Oil Pastels

Inspiration:   I wanted to create a piece highlighting intricate beauty not typically looked upon in everyday life. Something often overlooked.

District:         Central Valley

School:          Central Valley High School

Medium:        Graphite, Colored Pencil

Inspiration:   My work explores how memories endure, fade, and shift over time, asking what remains of the past and how it exists in objects, spaces, and images. I draw inspiration from personal photographs, family stories, and meaningful objects, using a variety of media to show both vividness and fading to reflect on my own experiences & connect the past with the present, holding onto what feels fleeting.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Watercolor

Inspiration:   Taking inspiration from mythology all around the world, my art piece represents a mothers love and how far they will go for their children's well being. The mother boar stands tall and strong, protecting her piglets. The mother Jaguar in contrast needs to feed her cub and show them important lessons like hunting. She has the will to kill for her cub while the boar has the will to die for her kids.

District:         Reardan-Edwall

School:         Reardan High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   Throughout my senior year, being diagnosed with a chronic illness has been hard. Often leaving me without hope of life getting better. This piece shows a girl looking for light or hope in a dark tunnel symbolizing my struggle.

District:         Medical Lake

School:         Medical Lake High School

Medium:        Acrylic Paint

Inspiration:   I wanted to create a piece with acrylic paint that shows the outside world in a different way, similar to making my way out of high school (the water) and seeing the real world (the sky) like a turtle, curious to poke its head out above the surface to a new unexplored world, giving him a different perspective and feeling than before, representing the unknown of life ahead.

District:         Spokane

School:         Joel E. Ferris High School

Medium:        Oil Paint

Inspiration:   "Look at Me" illustrates the story of a girl who is irrevocably trapped in a life of suffering, pain and sadness. She is tied down by physical restraints as the plastic wrapping of life envelopes her. But she pokes fee. She rips the barrier restricting her mind as she prods her fingers through the plastic. Only her eyes see the truth. For she is still broken. But she has finally seen herself.

District:         Medical Lake

School:         Medical Lake High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   While on a walking path near the lake with my friend during my primary school years, I saw a gorgeous bird gliding slowly across the water. Since then, I have always believed swans to be lovely animals, symbols of grace because of their elegant movements and physical beauty. That is why I chose to paint a swan.

District:         Pullman

School:         Pullman High School

Medium:        Permanent Marker

Inspiration:   Originally I made this as a protest sign for my mom, but it really resonated with me. It’s definitely not my best work but Im really attached to it, and the message it conveys.

District:         Medical Lake

School:         Medical Lake High School

Medium:        Water Color, Paint Markers

Inspiration:   As of last year my aunt had passed away due to cancer. Nobody had seen it coming. This is a memorial for her. The giant key in the middle of the painting is a representation of her. I used water colors, a symbol of the flow of life, a constant moving thing that can't be stopped even when there is a wall in its path. The water will still break through the dam.

District:         Spokane

School:         Lewis and Clark High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:  

District:         Pullman

School:         Pullman High School

Medium:        Watercolor

Inspiration:   This painting shows a beach house by the ocean. The soft colors and open space represent relaxation and peace. I chose this subject because the beach feels like a place to slow down and enjoy the moment. Through this artwork, I wanted to capture quiet, comforting atmosphere of being near the sea.

District:         Pullman

School:         Pullman High School

District:         Medical Lake

School:         Medical Lake High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   I painted a pink bug, using acrylic paints of various colors. It has some pops of random colors to represent how every bug is different. I used different-sized brushes and the end of the paintbrush to create the dots. The big idea of my artwork was to make it unique and colorful, but simple. Overall, I like my artwork, and I made it enjoyable to look at!

District:         Mead

School:         Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Colored Pencil

Inspiration:   Throughout my art career, ive always loved graffiti, but ive hated the reputation it gets as vandalism, or at least graffiti lettering work. so through my portfolio im doing my best to combine fine arts and graffiti making what is called “hybrid style”, and improve my styles and techniques.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Acrylic Paint

Inspiration:   I created this painting because i had this idea of a deer with a rainbow halo around it. I felt the rainbow gave it a celestial feel but also added some mystery. the painting itself doesn't have a true meaning and is just an idea from my head. but i think it could represent the beauty of a graceful animal.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Watercolor, Marker

Inspiration:   This painting was inspired by a village from when I lived in Ukraine. It combines my memories as well as my interest in painting landscapes. The Ukrainian flag has the blue sky and field of wheat which I incorporated into my painting.

District:         Spokane International Academy

School:         Spokane International Academy

Medium:        Digital Art

Inspiration:   "And Yet, I Surrender" Captures a woman outlined on her knees in worship, suspended between doubt and devotion. Red words surface her fears and questions, while purple letters speak God's truth over her identity. The image reflects surrender as an act of vulnerability, faith, and choosing to listen beyond inner noise. It honors the quiet courage of kneeling, trusting grace to answer doubt.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Central Valley High School

Medium:        Colored Pencils

Inspiration:   I often find myself laying down doing nothing but listening to music and daydreaming, and I wanted to use my drawing to represent this magical feeling of getting lost in your own imagination that often seems better and more vibrant than real life.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Watercolor Markers, Gouache, Pencil

Award: OSPI Juror's Choice Award

Inspiration:   I want to dedicate “Guardian” to all those who were forced to flee Ukraine during the war, abandoning their homes and family. The change affected many people on a deeper level, and I was one of those people. My piece is a juxtaposition between head and soul, and how their expressions overlap and deviate from each other. Cats bring comfort to me, as in my culture they are associated with lullabies.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Watercolor and Colored Pencil

Inspiration:   This represents circular polarization of light seen in scarab beetles. The way chitin fibers in the scarab’s elytra layer reflects light into a circular pattern which rotates the light waves as seen in the diagrams. This species, Chrysina Gloriosa, has a reflective green color which provides camouflage, but the pattern of reflected light allows them to discretely communicate with other beetles.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Watercolor, Pens

Inspiration:   I wanted to express warmth and comfort through the idea of tea, being at home, and the warm colors, to contrast that with the snow outside. There's an underlying feeling of hope of spring to come.

District:         Spokane International Academy

School:         Spokane International Academy

Medium:        Mixed Media Paper, Acrylic Markers

Inspiration:   Portraying "sonder" which is the awareness that other people all have their own complex set of feelings and experiences.

District:         Medical Lake

School:         Medical Lake High School

Medium:        Paint

Inspiration:   lavender colors, and its unique color palette is thanks to paint. Though to some it may seem messy, what matters is how you view this painting, and in honesty, as long as you enjoy the creativity of color and character silhouettes, you'll enjoy this painting.

Student:        Mia Ressa

District:         Spokane

School:         Lewis and Clark High School

Medium:        Mixed Media

Award: OSPI Staff Choice Award

Inspiration:   The eagle symbolizes America, and the dove represents peace. This confrontation shows how power and nationalism can silence peace instead of protecting it. My work questions whether peace can survive in a system that values control over care. In today’s America, aggression often outweighs empathy, and peace is seen less as a strength and more as a weakness.

District:         Innovation

School:          Innovation High School

Medium:        Graphite, Charcoal, Chalk, Conti Crayon, Watercolor, Fine Liners

Inspiration:   I wanted to capture the beauty of gothic cathedrals, I’m required to do a medium of color, so I chose this for the stained glass window, that is my favorite color.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Graphite and Shading

Inspiration:   This art piece is of an old pirate ship. It has a really dark ocean. This dark ocean explains how the fragile ship has to go through the ocean. Just like in real life, life is really hard and challenging, but in order to move though it you must go head first in to the challenge times.

District:         Freeman

School:         Freeman High School

Medium:        Graphite

Inspiration:   This art piece shows my love for sketching and circles.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Central Valley High School

Medium:        Graphite Pencils

Inspiration:   This piece shows a scared rat circled by pointing fingers, symbolizing how rats have been historically blamed for diseases. This piece criticizes scapegoating and fits into my sustained investigation exploring how society projects blame and hatred onto rats while ignoring their resilience and intelligence.

District:         Innovation

School:          Innovation High School

Medium:        Charcoal

Inspiration:   This monochrome landscape depicts a quiet lake surrounded by mountains and dense trees. A narrow wooden dock extends into the water, guiding the eye toward the reflected peaks. Strong contrasts, layered textures, and visible mark-making emphasize depth, atmosphere, and stillness while focusing on structure, balance, and the natural setting.

District:         Spokane

School:          Lewis and Clark High School

Medium:        Ball Point Pen

Inspiration:   The simplicity of black and white artwork has always drawn me; thus I have made one of my own. Based off the Breakwater Bay Lithopolis lighthouse.

District:         Innovation

School:          Innovation High School

Medium:        Charcoal/Ink

Inspiration:   "Window to the Soul" dives into the emotions within us, using the eye as a window. This piece hopes to capture the strength and the delicate parts of being human. It's about seeing beyond the surface, right into the soul.

District:         Pullman

School:         Pullman High School

Medium:        Oil Pastels

Inspiration:   I drew the singer Ejae who is from the movie K-pop demon hunters. I decided to show the drawing's expressions through Oil Pastal What I like about the drawing is how accurate and real the drawing looks to the actual singer.

District:         Newport

School:         Newport High School

Medium:        Sharpie

Inspiration:   This is a stippling of Lady Justice. I decided to do it for an assignment, and it would be a great way to challenge myself. Ive never been good at drawing bodies or anything along those lines, but I wanted to show that I have grown in my art.

District: Pullman

School: Pullman High School

Medium: Graphite

Inspiration: The Last of Us is a graphite drawing inspired by the show's promotional poster. Drawn freehand, the piece focuses on the emotional depth of the characters. Through contrast, texture, and expression, I aim to capture their vulnerability and resilience and allow viewers to feel their shared humanity.

District:         Mead

School:         Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Colored Pencil

Inspiration:   I drew these portraits as a celebration of two people who are very dear to me. They have both had a profound impact on my life and the way I decide to do my art.

District:         Mead

School:         Mead High School

Medium:        Graphite/Charcoal

Inspiration:   I wanted to express the feelings I've experienced over the last year leading up to my 17th birthday in February. I've become physically disabled. I wanted to encapsulate the helplessness you feel when you lose your bodily autonomy at such a young age. This piece portrays me naked and vulnerable to the world, curled in on myself. Hands in my hair, trying to cling for some form of stability.

District:         Medical Lake

School:         Medical Lake High School

Medium:        Pen/Pencil

Inspiration:   I always loved being able find hidden gems just like this car. Nothing to special but with a couple changes you have a car unique to you built to perform full of emotion.

District:         Mead

School:         Mead High School

Medium:        Graphite, Pen

Inspiration:   This piece serves as a snapshot of my current interests. I wanted it to carry a symbolic meaning that signifies the value of youth and how our passions contribute to who we are as individuals. I used a pencil for value, along with a pen meant for precise detailing. I hope my art piece encourages people to express themselves in a multitude of ways, allowing for personal growth and discovery.

District:         Innovation

School:         Innovation High School

Medium:        Graphite/Charcoal

Inspiration:   This piece is meant to represent my love for certain figures, especially ones within Greek mythology and what they represent, which is why this piece is a depiction of Dionysus the Greek god. I chose to use charcoal and graphite and make this piece black and white to represent the feeling of statues and the feeling that art in time is endless and its effect on people is endless.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Mica Peak High School

Medium:        Ink Jet on Card Stock, Acrylic Marker

Inspiration:   When everything is destroyed full of enternal darkness there can be beauty in the mist a new light when there is no humanity left there is no chaos full of peace.

District:         Spokane International Academy

School:          Spokane International Academy

Medium:        Pencil

Inspiration:   Mountain's View is my artwork piece that I have remembered from memory on my way to California. This reminds me of the beauty created by God. Made out of pencil and shadings to create depth.

District:         Spokane International Academy

School:          Spokane International Academy

Medium:        Digital Art

Inspiration:   “Breath of Life” is a Christian sweatshirt design symbolizing God as the source of all life. With “Breath of Life” across the arms and lungs filled with “Yahweh,” the piece reflects how faith is woven into every breath, reminding the wearer that God’s presence sustains, fills, and gives purpose to life.

District:         Medical Lake

School:          Medical Lake High School

Medium:        Pencil

Inspiration:   My work is two parallel chess boards that bend towards the ends of the space. The artwork is made entirely of straight lines that create the illusion of a curve. It is done with only a pencil. My idea for the work came from the ability to create something that looks nice while still lacking skill by making up for it in creativity. Creativity makes up for skill and technique.

District:         Chewelah

School:         Jenkins Jr./Sr. High School

Medium:        Pencil

Inspiration:   I hope to spread the Word of Jesus, through sketches and art that catch the eye in a meaningful, yet subtle way. Showing talent with shading and pencil work.

District:         Medical Lake

School:         Medical Lake High School

Medium:        Pencil

Inspiration:   My artwork is of my dog, Penny. It took me a while to figure out what I was going to create, but I finally chose to draw my dog because she makes me happy and I love her. I wanted to use this art as a way to push myself to draw realism, which isn't my strong suit, but I won't get better unless I try, so I thought that it was a good opportunity to practice, and I am happy with how it turned out.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Graphite

Inspiration:   The purpose of this artwork was to explore the way that we view nature by creating a piece with graphite that portrays the relationship between humans and nature. Our eyes allow us to view nature’s beauty, intricacy, and complexity. The lack of color and the absence of background elements in this piece contrast with the detailed structure of our eyes and the natural world.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Central Valley High School

Medium:       

Inspiration:  

District:         Medical Lake

School:         Medical Lake High School

Medium:        Sketching Pencils

Inspiration:   I drew Robert Downey Jr. on paper using sketching pencils. The title of the picture I drew is RDJ. I used elements like texture and value to help make the picture. For principles of art I used unity and contrast. The reason I drew Robert Downey Jr was because I loved the iron man movies growing up as a kid. My goal was to make it look like him and practice realism. I am very proud of this work.

District:         Newport

School:         Newport High School

Medium:        White Charcoal

Inspiration:   I did this as a school assignment, but I thought it would be fun to submit, I made this piece with white charcoal and stress.

District:         Innovation

School:         Innovation High School

Medium:        Oil

Inspiration:   This piece was mostly for an assignment, started with my simple sketch but I poured a lot of my passion into it. Inspiration came from my love of the moon and moon goddesses, one of my favorite things to paint.

District:         Spokane

School:         North Central High School

Medium:        Oil on Canvas

Inspiration:   This painting is inspired by a photograph I took before visiting the Art Institute of Chicago for a college program. That experience helped me grow, both personally and artistically. The image now holds memories of connection, serving as a reminder of the bonds I formed and the reflection that came with them. Like watching a sunset, the piece aims to encourage the viewer to pause and reflect.

District:         Kettle Falls

School:         Kettle Falls High School

Medium:        Acrylic Paint

Inspiration:   The inspiration behind this painting was watching the Rocky movie. I love the intensity and emotion behind the sport. The painting is tribute to the quiet desperation and resilient spirit found in the middle of a struggle. I wanted to do a black and white realism painting that captured unbreakable will and grit. I've always wanted to do lively intense sport like boxing but not having an athletic bone in my body, I stick to painting it.

District:         Mead

School:         Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Acrylic on Canvas

Award: NEWESD 101 Board Choice Award

Inspiration:   One of my close friends stepped out into the light to play her old instrument she hadn’t touched in a long time. Awkward at first before figuring it out, the softness of the clouds with the intensity of the sun behind her display the power of music. It seems as if the sun is breaking through the clouds. The vibrations of the violin create peace around her as she relaxes into the steady rhythm.

District:         Mead

School:         Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   Calling Home is an acrylic painting and mirror of my findings of belonging and who I am reflected in a close family friend. The warmth in the red and orange colors radiate comfort, longing, and growth. The layers of paint act as an emotional change, once pale and plain, now alive, capturing the fear of passing time but the soft assurance that some connections stay and still feel like home.

Student:        Perry Thayer

District:         Innovation

School:         Innovation High School

Medium:        Oil Paint

Inspiration:   This piece explores the nature of religious trauma.

District:         Selkirk

School:         Selkirk High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   As a kid, I didn’t believe I was a good painter. I painted everything I saw, but I was never happy. This painting started was with my drawings of skulls and deformed things. It became my best painting. There are no mistakes, because every error adds to the beauty. All the faces I made on different days; every day different emotions and a different reason to paint. Today, I love painting.

District:         Mead

School:         Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Acrylic on Canvas

Inspiration:   This painting was based on merely a composite of several drawings in my sketchbook. Exploring each component through painting, I was able to develop absurd themes such as internal conflict between fragments of ideas that leave the painting itself up for interpretation.

District:         Spokane International Academy

School:         Spokane International Academy

Medium:        Painting

Inspiration:   A moment in time with the northern lights on a calm Christmas night.

District:         Spokane International Academy

School:         Spokane International Academy

Medium:        Acrylic Paint

Inspiration:   One night, I saw a beautiful colored sunset with a full moon in the middle. I wanted to try my best to capture God's handiwork, to be able to share this experience with others. I wanted to point out that a tree behind the viewer is also pretty, although overlooked. This piece was made to inspire people to search for overlooked beauty that might be dimmed by something else, and give it recognition.

District:         Innovation

School:          Innovation High School

Medium:        Oil Paint

Inspiration:   Just a hand with a glass of feelings.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Acrylic, Fabric, Screenprint

Inspiration:   This piece represents how an everyday habit for billions of people is slowly costing you your life. I wanted to show this by having “toxic” colors represent the effect of smoking on the lungs. The screen print is on top of a painting of a pack of cigarettes to help others understand that your own lungs within your body are more important than a cigarette. A simple everyday habit is ruining life.

District:         Innovation

School:          Innovation High School

Medium:        Oil Paint

Inspiration:   This was an assignment for early renaissance painting. However this is my character Julian Zurich, and he is an incubus. There’s no real reason on why he’s the subject part from the fact I felt he should be there. He is reaching up for the viewer, which I imagine is a bug of some sort. This is a Work In Progress

District:         Spokane International Academy

School:         Spokane International Academy

Medium:        Oil Paint

Inspiration:  I wanted to explore themes of identity and vulnerability as a woman. The figure is shown nude while also wearing soft pink fabric, symbolizing her choice over what she reveals. I wanted the woman to be seen as confident and self-possessed rather than exposed. I wanted to show that femininity and vulnerability can exist alongside strength and control.

District:         Spokane

School:         Joel E. Ferris High School

Medium:        Acrylic Paint

Inspiration:   This piece is a representation of the outlook on a hobby such as golf, and how it has shifted over the years. Golf is commonly thought of as a rich mans exclusive sport, yet, in recent years it has become a leisurely accessible hobby for people of any background to enjoy. This shift shows how even just the look and the attire can shift the whole outlook on an interest.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Mica Peak High School

Medium:        Acrylic Paint

Inspiration:   Unicorns is a painting I had originally done just for fun, but I was thinking about someone I value a lot while painting this-my sister. My other half, the one who makes me not feel alone; growing up and experiencing childish curiosity together. I hope that the viewers think about someone who is dear to them when looking at “Unicorns”.

District:         Innovation

School:          Innovation High School

Medium:        Oil Paint

Inspiration:   With my art I like to bring my books I read to life. I love to bring books to life with my imagination. Bringing things to life with my imagination and feelings and bringing smiles to people's faces makes me proud and happy for my work.

District:         Kettle Falls

School:          Kettle Falls High School

Medium:        Watercolor

Inspiration:   To touch the impossible, seek restoration rather than endless days, living fully in the memory of the beginning. Like a butterfly, we praise the beauty yet pass by the small, trembling moments where uncommon marvels quietly reside and steadfastly abide. Waiting for minds brave enough to notice, cherish and be transformed.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Graphite, Color Pencil, Cardboard, Hot Glue

Inspiration:   Chatostraphia’s Angel is a compilation about how I perceive life and emotions in a whole. There are ups, downs, and turns put together in colors and shapes that have no set meaning because life is a giant theory of chaos understood by the struggle of emotion.

District:         Spokane

School:         Lewis and Clark High School

Medium:        Mixed Media

Inspiration:   This piece represents all parts of me. It took me four months to make, I made the lines out of joint compound and carved it down later painting over them, I painted the inside spaces white then added splashes of color, after I filled every white space to the brim with doodles then later filled the open areas with resin. I hope you can see all of me and what I love through it.

District:         Central Valley

School:          Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Leaves and Watercolor

Inspiration:   This artwork depicts a Pacific Chorus frog resting on a flower. It is made from pressed fall leaves and celebrates the beauty of the natural world.

District:         Spokane

School:         Lewis and Clark High School

Medium:        Mixed Media

Inspiration:   This piece is one from my current 3D art portfolio, which is inspired by humans developed (with a societal impact) or inherited repellence. Displaying the off-putting feeling that specific images will cause, often a natural response to keep ourselves from harm such as mold and germs. This piece is made from air dry clay, acrylic paint, collaged paper, and dried moss.

District:         Mead

School:          Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Acrylic on Wood Panel

Award: NEWESD 101 Superintendent Choice Award

Inspiration:   The painting is a memoir of my Uncle’s old truck given to him by his grandfather. The truck is surrounded by the fields and woods of my uncle’s farm where I work in the summer. The old vehicle symbolizes the passing of my uncle’s grandfather.

District:         Cheney

School:         Cheney High School

Medium:        Colored Shells

Inspiration:   Years ago, I traveled with my family to Corpus Christi, Texas, where I saw the ocean for the first time. I was captivated by the seashells, rich colors, and calming waves. I created this artwork, Hidden Gems, because the shells felt like treasures. These crafted shells reflect that experience and the memories made.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Colored Pencil and Tissue Paper

Inspiration:   This piece explores the societal perception of aging. Aging is stigmatized as something to be avoided or reversed but should be embraced. Our stories are etched into our bodies, from the fine lines on our faces to the calluses on our hands. Each flower symbolizes a pivotal life milestone. Age’s 'imperfections' are actually the physical map of our memories. They are something to be celebrated.

District:         Innovation

School:         Innovation High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   We love the Ocean, We love the Coast, We love the Rivers, We love the Coral Reefs. Despite that their beauty every year is destroyed and harmed by us, if we really love them, why must we destroy them?

District:         Central Valley

School:         Mica Peak High School

Medium:        Mixed Media

Inspiration:   I created this piece after studying Basquiat. I wanted to portray the idea of individuality and the importance of being yourself.

District:         Central Valley

School:          Central Valley High School

Medium:        Acrylic and Graphite

Inspiration:   "Frogs Everywhere" explores the concept of how hiding parts of yourself affects the mind and body by using the metaphor of a “frog” to express the hidden parts of us forcing itself to the surface. These ideas are conveyed through visual and emotional contrasts between the saturated acrylic face and dull graphite “frogs”, both pieces being stylized with unsettling features to create discomfort.

District:         Mead

School:          Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Mixed Media

Inspiration:   In The Unnatural Reef I explore the silent pervasive industrial waste in the most secluded corners of our ocean. The piece centers around a sea turtle, a creature representing resilience and ancient wisdom of many years, navigating the dark confined space of an underwater cave. Rather than swimming with other wildlife it swims with the rusty skeletons of cars.

District:         Mead

School:          Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Mixed Media

Inspiration:   Defiance shows a constant fight against the bad in the world. Uschi sits battered and bruised while trying to fight the apparition of all that is wrong. She is a portrayal of my struggle to find my true self while having to deal with people telling me I’m crazy. The giant ghost shows a force that seems menacing but can be overcome. Never listen to those who would shoot you down for being you.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Acrylic

Inspiration:   The Greek myth of Tantalus, who stole ambrosia from the gods and fed his own son to them. As punishment, he was cursed with eternal hunger while having food just out of reach. This story is a great metaphor for the human desire for perfection, something so unreachable. Yet we keep reaching for it, causing more discomfort to ourselves in the same way that tantalus pushes himself to reach the fruit.

District:         Kettle Falls

School:         Columbia Virtual Academy - Kettle Falls

Medium:        Photography

Award: State Board of Education Award

Inspiration:   In Tijuana, I stood above a valley where the fog settled so deeply it felt like I was above the world. In this "borderland," I captured small gestures of friendship against a backdrop of global complexity. This piece reflects more than a location; it represents my own transition-standing on the edge of adulthood and crossing the border from the familiar into a vast, unknown world far from home.

District:         Cheney

School:         Cheney High School

Medium:        Digital Photography

Inspiration:   I chose to take a photo of a set of cards with a Joker showing. The meaning I hope for others to see is that something so out of place can look like it belongs there. The reason I shot this was that I wanted to take something different and out of my box. I shot it by having my model hold a set of cards and setting a Joker the other way, and holding it, like they were playing a game.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Digital Art

Inspiration:   Inspiration can take over thoughts on any train, even under the sapphire shower rain.

District:         Spokane International Academy

School:          Spokane International Academy

Medium:        Glue, Mixed Media Paper, Water Color, Gouache, Colored Pencil

Inspiration:   I am interested in how pressure, dependence, and fear affect the way people see themselves and their choices. . Visually, I am influenced by symbolism and repetition, using imagery to represent control and silence. My work explores the tension between support and control, questioning when help becomes manipulation and how individuals navigate power within systems they rely on.

District:         Central Valley

School:          Central Valley High School

Medium:        Mixed Media

Inspiration:   The piece is inspired by the voyeurism that I am guilty of myself, the dark shadows of Caravaggio, the pressure of ever moving time, and the heavy world events we continue to see. The red string is a reference to the red ribbons worn around the neck by remaining nobility after the French revolution. In this, it represents the warnings of luxury, and her dying because of the things around her.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Central Valley High School

Medium:        Bleach and Acrylic on Fabric

Inspiration:   My investigation examines how human activity affects the planet, showing that negative impacts outweigh positive ones. Using natural and industrial materials inspired by real environmental issues, my work raises awareness—especially for younger generations—about how our actions shape Earth’s future. This piece illustrates the state of coral reefs today.

District:         Spokane International Academy

School:        Spokane International Academy

Medium:        Ink Jet on Card Stock, Acrylic Marker

Inspiration:   This mural transforms the PARKADE tower through bold color and symbolism. A clay and blue fish with floral motifs reflects movement, resilience, and harmony between city and nature. Its vertical placement and crisp acrylic linework create visibility, motion, and a moment of reflection within the urban landscape.

District:         Cheney

School:         Cheney High School

Medium:        Digital Photography

Inspiration:   I took this photo in Canada while I was on a family road trip. The deer was very calm and not afraid so I was able to get super close to him without disturbing him and I also had a zoom lens to get a sharper shot. I got super lucky because when I took the photo he was also eating. With that I captured a moment of stillness, it was the ultimate encounter between wildlife and winter's silence.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Collage

Inspiration:   A child's easily malleable mind is a worry for parents and an advantage for officials. Within the past century, children's minds have been increasingly filled with things they shouldn't know, opinions they don't have, and conflicts they shouldn't be aware of. "Could You See?" demonstrates the profit and audience that children unintentionally give to corporations just by consuming their media.

District:         Cheney

School:         Cheney High School

Medium:        Acrylic Paint

Inspiration:   An army's' pride falls when met of a greater force.

District:         Central Valley

School:          Mica Peak High School

Medium:        Digital Art

Inspiration:   This is a representation of all intelligent life’s fear, the end of the world. The two figures at the front are facing away from the black hole, from what is the truth. The one on the left is slouched, “sweating”, distressed, not wanting to accept it. The one on the right is standing up straight, and while looking away, is processing what’s happening with their blank stare.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Digital Art (Firealpaca)

Inspiration:   This art piece is to show a form of selflessness in situations, including in areas that are most obvious and where you think that giving out is the best option to support others from desperation. It can help the people to step away from the dark, and see as the area lights up around them, the hope of getting help.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Mica Peak High School

Medium:        Digital Art

Inspiration:   I worked on this art piece to show emotion of freedom and to give the viewer a sense of calm and a hint of joy when the horse is still in place.

District:         Cheney

School:         Cheney High School

Medium:        Digital Photography

Inspiration:   When I captured this photo, I was looking for elements of isolation, singular subjects, and a wide view of a landscape. I have a lot of land with rolling, dry hills, so that part wasn't too hard. But as I saw the fog closing in around the various trees, clouding the view for miles, I took my chance. The light shining through the suffocating clouds, as if shouting through the fog.

District:         Freeman

School:         Freeman High School

Medium:        Photography

Inspiration:   This photo was taken during our HOCO week when I was so unbelievably sick. It reminded me of my senior year, I'm in my last year, and it's the end of the road for HS, the car, on its last legs, to give it a little bit more.

District:         Freeman

School:          Freeman High School

Medium:        Photography

Inspiration:   I took this photo at our varsity boys first basketball game of their season. I like that you can see the light reflecting on the court making the court shine. I like how the photo is dark but not too dark. You are able to see the team in the back just a little but what catches my eye is the white jerseys all huddled together.

District:         Freeman

School:         Freeman High School

Medium:        Photography

Inspiration:   This photo was from September and the girls soccer team was preparing to play an important game to them. I chose this photo because my sister is on the soccer team and I know the emotions behind this. After many games they had finally won against the team had been working so hard for.

District:         Freeman

School:          Freeman High School

Medium:        Photography

Inspiration:   This photograph allows you to view the determination and perseverance this student exemplifies in his strength class. The low angle guides your eyes to follow the bar as the student pushes his limits. You can see the grit in his expression and strain on his arms as he lifts the heavy weight.

District:         Freeman

School:         Freeman High School

Medium:        Photography

Inspiration:   I took this photo at the volleyball game against Liberty. I like that the girls that are blocking the ball are the main focus. You can see them working together to help dominate.

District:         Freeman

School:         Freeman High School

Medium:        Photography

Inspiration:   This photo is from our schools veterans day ceremony, I really love how in this photo this veteran is the center of your attention.

District:         Mead

School:         Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Ceramics

Inspiration:   I created my piece with the motive of representing something magical and cheerful. My intention was to make it look cartoon-like to represent the magical ideas and thoughts we had as children growing up. I refined carved every little thing shown in my bowl, and with time and patience, it turned out to be an image of wonder, childhood, magic, and imagination.

District:         Mead

School:         Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Watercolor/Mixed Media

Inspiration:   “Following the Current” captures the bittersweet transition from youth to adulthood: inspired by a final day swimming in a creek at 16 together, reflecting a fleeting moment of freedom before the weight of college and responsibility. Using liquid watercolor, it mirrors the complexities of growing up, showing how life’s messy layers eventually piece together into something beautiful.

District:         Cheney

School:         Cheney High School

Medium:        Clay

Inspiration:   My project expresses how humans have many different uses in life. Not made for one specific thing but to live and explore different parts of ourselves. The waves in my project aren't the same or perfect. Life has its moments of flow and change that may feel that same way. My ceramic piece has a story like we do. We are unique with qualities that work together to make one of a kind.

District:         Cheney

School:         Cheney High School

Medium:        Polymer Clay, Aluminum Wire, and Electrical Engineering

Inspiration:   This piece explores the moment between staying and moving forward. The bus stop is where waiting becomes staying. Masked figures reflect influences that shape people my age before they realize a direction is being chosen. A single light isolates the boy at the edge of a decision. Move, or remain. Get on the bus.

District:         Cheney

School:         Cheney High School

Medium:        Wire Sculpture

Inspiration:   This aluminum sculpture piece, Flight of a feather, features a seraph, a six-winged angel, shown as an aluminum wire sculpture. It represents my journey as a beginning artist in high school and my hopes for a future career in art. The six wings reach outward, symbolizing ambition, growth, and the desire to improve. The seraph itself represents guidance and transformation.

District:         Cheney

School:         Cheney High School

Medium:        Ceramics

Inspiration:   This piece took a year to finish, and I’m so glad it’s ready to be presented to the world. When I first started this project, I was certain that it was not going to meet my standards for my artwork, but I impressed even myself. To me, this piece represents my struggle with religion, and the idea of having all eyes on me. Thus the many eyes on the rings.

District:         Mead

School:          Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Ceramics

Inspiration:   Inspired by "The Land of Stories" series by Chris Colfer, this ceramic piece reimagines the book’s map as a three-dimensional landscape. Precise miniature forms and detailed underglaze emphasize scale and accuracy to the original illustration. Iron oxide along the edge of the pages creates the feeling of a well-loved, antique book.

District:         Newport

School:         Newport High School

Medium:        Mixed Media

Inspiration:   I love making my dioramas as accurate and weathered looking as I can, this piece felt like a good challenge. I always want people to look at my dioramas and feel like they are looking at something from present day, but years in the future after it has been abandoned.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Ridgeline High School

Medium:        Gouache, Pen, Watercolor, Alcohol Marker, Paper, Mat Board, Fish hook, Floss

Inspiration:   Daydreaming is like being underwater and not listening. I wanted to convey what it's like when reality is pressing and you have to force yourself to handle it. It feels like being pulled out of water suddenly against your will.

District:         Cheney

School:          Cheney High School

Medium:        Ceramics

Inspiration:   These pieces reflect my first year working with ceramics and my growth through the process. Rather than aiming for perfection, I focused on learning how clay responds to time, pressure, and repetition. Mistakes became part of the work, showing patience, progress, and the value of making by hand. This project represents a beginning and the growth that came through doing.

District:         Mead

School:         Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Ceramics

Inspiration:   "Resurgence" was born from my own brokenness. Our bodies endure years of heavy trauma and anxiety, yet this ceramic piece proves that beauty can rise from the cracks. Resurgence means recuperating back to life after a dull, painful period; it is the art of regrowth. I hope this work reaches your soul as it did mine, reminding you that even when shattered, you are capable of a breathtaking return.

District:         Spokane

School:         Joel E. Ferris High School

Medium:        Ceramics & Glaze

Inspiration:   Movement of the ocean. Underwater lIfe (fish). I use layered glazes and spiral forms to look like seaweed, currents and natural growth.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Central Valley High School

Medium:        Wood Burning/Staining

Inspiration:   I am recreating a series of Major Arcana tarot cards that reflect the human experience through symbolism and tiny visual details. Each card represents a different emotional state which is shown through each piece being a different medium. For this piece I really wanted to understand the history behind the card so I would research the traditional meaning and reinterpret it through my own style.

District:         Mead

School:         Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Ceramics & Glaze

Inspiration:   This ceramic shark shows my love for sharks and oceanography, inspired by their power and grace in the ocean. Layered glazes create realistically accurate coloring, patterns, and depth in the skin, recreating movement and light underwater. Designed as a dynamic wall hanging or decoration, the piece brings the vibe of the ocean into a room.

District:         Spokane

School:          Lewis and Clark High School

Medium:        Ceramics

Inspiration:   When trimming this bowl, I accidentally broke off a chunk of the rim instead of scrapping the piece I leaned into the aesthetic. The fragile jagged broken rim contrasts the smooth profile of the bottom of the bowl. I am hoping to lean into this athletic more for my AP portfolio. Made from a light stoneware clay with dripped glazed on the rim and clear coat.

District:         Mead

School:         Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Ceramics

Inspiration:   This ceramic snail explores the fascinating world of life and decay. I applied iron oxide to give the skull shell an aged, weathered look. I also layered glaze to create a pattern that settled into the cracks and edges to make a unique and rich coloring across the snail's form. This piece reflects my love for snails and other invertebrate creatures, celebrating their quiet beauty and resilience.

District:         Mead

School:         Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Ceramics & Glaze

Inspiration:   This ceramic piece shows a ship being pulled under by a kraken, inspired by my childhood love of mythological creatures. The layered glazes create depth and movement, emphasizing detail-oriented designs. Rough textures contrast with smoother surfaces to highlight tension, damage, and the physical struggle between ship and creature.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Central Valley High School

Medium:        Clay

Inspiration:   I love incorporating a function within my projects. So, for my toadstool fairy house I had to make it a candle holder. I didn’t have much of a reference, I really love doodling mushrooms and making them into fairy houses drawing smoke coming out of the chimney. So, I designed it so the smoke from the candle (in my project) would ventilate out the chimney.

District:         Mead

School:         Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Ceramics

Inspiration:   This playful stack of ceramic coasters forms a classic burger—complete with a bun, lettuce, tomato, cheese, onion, and patty—when assembled. Each hand-built layer functions individually, then unites as a sculptural whole. Detailed, layered glazes add depth and texture, showing char, sheen, and freshness with craft and humor.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Central Valley High School

Medium:        Clay/Pottery/Ceramics

Inspiration:   This ceramic sardine can reframe a reusable food utensil that is a long lasting table item. Used as chopstick holders, they replace fish with utensils, shifting expectations of value and use. By reducing plastic into clay. The work explores preservation, humor and the quiet radius of everyday dining. It sits between sculpture and use, inviting touch, repetition and small moments of surprise.

District:         Spokane

School:         Joel E. Ferris High School

Medium:        Clay

Inspiration:   This piece is a representation of overcoming overwhelming adversity. The vines grip the hand, dragging it back towards everything it fought hard to escape, as it reaches for the symbol of freedom. Out of the thorns, we find a sliver of hope to bring us back; the beginnings of life's beautiful color.

District:         Newport

School:         Newport High School

Medium:        Ceramics

Inspiration:   Notable for its vibrant yellow glaze and elongated sensory tail, the Trinity Draco uses its triple-vane rudder to navigate thermal winds. Its cross-hatched scales provide insulation against solar radiation. Though flightless, it is a master of the "long-glide." Look closely—is that a rider on its neck, or a symbiotic traveler?

District:         Central Valley

School:         Central Valley High School

Medium:        Ceramics

Inspiration:   I made these pieces using hand-building techniques, mainly coiling and sculpting. The pieces are a diptych using coils and high relief with the theme of coral and ocean life. I chose glazes that enhanced the ocean theme and highlighted the textures. These pieces show my process of experimenting with clay and developing my hand-building skills.

District:         Mead

School:         Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Mixed Media

Inspiration:   My purpose for this project is to show my love for multi-media, wearable art and anything funky. My process for making these included slab, pinch-pot, and carving. I used underglaze to give life and dimension to the faces. I glued on the fabric and the bolo tie pieces to make them functional.

District:         Central Valley

School:          Central Valley High School

Medium:        Pottery

Inspiration:   The sailors teapot was made with the theme of change in mind, along with how you have to adapt. The changing tides of the sea combine with the uncertainties of basic needs, makes change rough, but the reward of possible gold and riches makes it worth the struggle in the end.

District:         Spokane

School:         Joel E. Ferris High School

Medium:        Clay

Inspiration:   This piece of work was inspired by a Bible verse that I deeply care for. It is meant to evoke an emotion of love, pain, sorrow, and hopefulness.

District:         Spokane

School:         Joel E. Ferris High School

Medium:        Clay

Inspiration:   I’ve always felt a connection to water. Maybe it’s because I grew up by the coast, or maybe because it has a strength I never possessed but looking out at the water made me feel ok. That is the feeling I wanted to capture in this piece with her carrying this boat safe to shore in the way that she carries us all through this life and into the next, whispering to us that it will be ok.

District:         Mead

School:         Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Ceramics

Inspiration:   For this piece, I created my depiction of Rapunzel’s tower. To begin, I rolled out coils and smoothed them together to make the stem of the tower. Eventually I carved the bricks out of the walls with a rounded tool. I used slab to create the living quarters of the tower, punched out three windows, then added all of the tiny wooden accents.

District:         Spokane

School:         Joel E. Ferris High School

Medium:        Clay

Inspiration:   My piece is a pond of water surrounded by a bunch of rocks with a flower and frog in the center. I was inspired by the way water looks when it moves and how peaceful it feels. I really tried to show contrast with the light blue of the water to the dark gray of the rocks. The frog represents how small we can feel in a big pond surrounded by rocks.

District:         Central Valley

School:         Central Valley High School

Medium:        Ceramics/Pottery

Inspiration:   This is my second full year taking pottery and this is by far my favorite medium. I enjoy making intricate pieces based off of movies I like or just for fun as well as creating decorative items. I also like to paint which plays into the finished products. My theme for the year was masks. Enjoy.

District:         Deer Park

School:         Deer Park High School

Medium:        Clay/Glaze

Inspiration:   We were instructed to create a textured vessel so I threw a cylinder on the pottery wheel and used a hair comb to scratch horizontal and vertical lines. I started the wheel in motion again and pushed the sides out to form a bowl. The rough frayed texture on the exterior, and the contrasting smooth interior instantly reminded me of a kiwi fruit, so I glazed it accordingly.

District:         Spokane

School:          Lewis and Clark High School

Medium:        Ceramics

Inspiration:   Over the summer, I planned several art ideas, all centered around a spiral form. When school began, I rolled out a slab, shaped it into a cylinder, and added coils following my spiral sketch. I flattened and pinched the ends for texture, then closed both sides with circular slabs. I finished by glazing it a soft blue and firing it.

District:         Kettle Falls

School:          Kettle Falls High School

Medium:        Digital Art

Inspiration:   This winter was been making me feel very "mad" so of course I set my art on that. There was a lot of yelling and screaming and sides I had to pick in my personal life that made me feel absolutely crazy. But I got through it just like Alice got through Wonderland. My big inspiration was Alice in Wonderland because that wacky world makes me feel like I can relate to it in some way.

District:         Pullman

School:          Pullman High School

Medium:        Oil Pastels and Colored Pencils

Inspiration:   I love tarot and my cat so I combined them and thought that the meaning of the fool fit my cat toast.

District:         Cheney

School:         Cheney High School

Medium:        Digital Photography

Inspiration:   My goal for this photo was to capture my personality as accurately as I could. I used a grungy alley, bright graffiti, a unicorn mask, and a ukulele. I stood to the side of the frame to avoid being the center of attention, I'd rather have people see the things I do or the pictures I take. Everyone should have at least one self portrait that they like, and this is mine, I hope you like it too.

District:         Freeman

School:          Freeman High School

Medium:        Photography

Inspiration:   I chose this one from our homecoming volleyball game because it shows the good sportsmanship at our school.

District:         Freeman

School:         Freeman High School

Medium:        Photography

Inspiration:   there is a few teachers in this photo that were important to me.I thought this was a good photo to resemble them having a good conversation and living in the moment.

District:         Mead

School:          Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Ceramics

Inspiration:   “Bearing the Weight” shows how society measures people through materialistic values. The gold and silver carries a sense of pressure and strain and the charcoal reflects the emotional and physical burden placed on individuals. I used my own hands and form as a reference to sculpt the piece, representing my innocence and the impact of the world on youth.

District:         Central Valley

School:          Central Valley High School

Medium:        Pottery

Inspiration:   Even as a senior in high school the spirit and childhood feel of Christmas is still something I hold dear to my heart. I made sure to craft each plate with its own Christmas design. As a kid I always loved all the fun holiday crafts you got to do in school, but once you get to middle school that all stops. This project was a great way to embrace my inner child again during the Christmas season.

District:         Mead

School:          Mt. Spokane High School

Medium:        Watercolor/Mixed Media

Inspiration:   This piece symbolizes the depth and beauty of life and nature. Each layer has its own preciousness and needs to be preserved in order to work together as a whole.