The Brighton Art Guild is pleased to announce the 2021 Scholarship winners
Norma Gray College Visual Arts Scholarship Award $1000 - Emily Beeman
My work is about death, vulnerability, and our degenerating relationship with nature. I find deer (particularly fawns) to symbolize all of these things—despite their beauty, they suffer slow, painful fatalities and bodily mutilation to both natural predators and humans alike.
Additionally, I use my work as way to process my feelings. This consists of ongoing issues with depression, self-esteem, loneliness, and resentment of our societal reliance on industry. When I draw dead animals, I see myself—I see something vulnerable and scared that has become collateral damage of a hopelessly violent society. In paying reverence to these deceased deer, I hope to give them (and myself) the care that they deserve. I use images of roadkill or taxidermy deer as references, typically working with graphite on matboard or mylar.
I’m currently preparing to finalize the direction of my undergraduate thesis work. I want to continue working in realism, with graphite, and potentially integrate it with my work as a printmaker. I feel very attached to deer, and I plan on continuing with that symbol, also possibly combining my love for figure drawing and portraiture into similar pieces.
Emily will be attending Kendall College of Art and Design as a Senior majoring in Drawing in the fall of 2021
Additionally, I use my work as way to process my feelings. This consists of ongoing issues with depression, self-esteem, loneliness, and resentment of our societal reliance on industry. When I draw dead animals, I see myself—I see something vulnerable and scared that has become collateral damage of a hopelessly violent society. In paying reverence to these deceased deer, I hope to give them (and myself) the care that they deserve. I use images of roadkill or taxidermy deer as references, typically working with graphite on matboard or mylar.
I’m currently preparing to finalize the direction of my undergraduate thesis work. I want to continue working in realism, with graphite, and potentially integrate it with my work as a printmaker. I feel very attached to deer, and I plan on continuing with that symbol, also possibly combining my love for figure drawing and portraiture into similar pieces.
Emily will be attending Kendall College of Art and Design as a Senior majoring in Drawing in the fall of 2021
Ron and Norma Gray Memorial Scholarship Award $500 - Alexandria Short
Art is a way for me to decompress. In a way I’d like to say that my artwork shows my
evolvement as an artist and individual. My work includes a wide variety of subjects and forms
as well as mediums: including but not limited to acrylic, graphite, ink, and oil. Ultimately my
goals are to work on my usage of principles and elements in design and knowledge of color
theory. Strengthening these aspects in my design knowledge will also benefit my overall work in
my major of Interior Design.
Alexandria will be attending the Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State in the fall of 2021 as a Senior. She will be majoring in Interior Design.
evolvement as an artist and individual. My work includes a wide variety of subjects and forms
as well as mediums: including but not limited to acrylic, graphite, ink, and oil. Ultimately my
goals are to work on my usage of principles and elements in design and knowledge of color
theory. Strengthening these aspects in my design knowledge will also benefit my overall work in
my major of Interior Design.
Alexandria will be attending the Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State in the fall of 2021 as a Senior. She will be majoring in Interior Design.
ABOUT OUR SELECTION PROCESS
The Scholarship Committee members represent 2D and 3D artists and expertise in most every medium. Given that, they all tap into their own fundamental inherent bank of knowledge as artists. As we all know, the most experienced artists and jurors can have a different opinion than you do about a particular work of art. So on the basis that all art is not created equal, we get to the nitty-gritty and focus on these five characteristics of art:
Eligibility:
The Scholarship Committee members represent 2D and 3D artists and expertise in most every medium. Given that, they all tap into their own fundamental inherent bank of knowledge as artists. As we all know, the most experienced artists and jurors can have a different opinion than you do about a particular work of art. So on the basis that all art is not created equal, we get to the nitty-gritty and focus on these five characteristics of art:
- Beauty in Art
- Skill and Technique
- Inherent Meaning
- Uniqueness
- Fulfilled Intent
Eligibility:
- All applicants must be attending a Michigan college or university in the fall.
- All applicants must be between the ages of 17 and 25.
- All college undergraduate & high school graduate students meeting the above criteria and are full-time residents of the State of Michigan are eligible to apply for the Norma Gray Scholarship.