Arts and Entertainment

‘Working Class’ Art Challenge winners announced

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Producers of the “Working Class” public television documentary series, created by Pennsylvania College of Technology and WVIA Public Media, recently announced winners in the series’ first Student & Parent/Teacher Art Challenge.

The Dream & Do Art Challenge invited student artists, parents and teachers to use simple materials — paper, crayons, markers, pencils, pens and paint — to create works of art that depict the world as they imagine it. It was inspired by the series’ first film, “Working Class: Dream & Do,” which explores career opportunities for artists and designers.

“Vibrant and Diverse,” a painting by Rose Saville-Iksic, a pre-K parent from Williamsport, was favored in the Teacher/Parent category of the competition.

In the work, block-like and more organic forms are juxtaposed to “present a vision of vibrant and diverse persons intermingling across space,” the artist explained. “Humans invent ways of understanding the world and then reinvent them to accommodate ... unforeseen realities. In this way, we make space for human variation and build our capacity for connection,” she said.

The selected entry among students in grades K-6 was the “House of Floating Rooms,” a drawing by Damian Lanzoni, a second grade student at Moscow Elementary Center in Moscow, Lackawanna County.

A description of Lanzoni’s artwork, submitted by his art teacher, Julie Marx, reads: “On the inside of the long rectangular window is an elevator, and it can take you to any floor. Each room hangs off the main part of the house, which makes it unique and different.”

A drawing by Heather Rose Quadrino, an 11th-grade student at Delaware Valley High School, Milford, Pike County, was chosen among entries from students in grades 7-12.

Quadrino’s work was made with markers and titled “Light the Way.” She said it “depicts how one person’s efforts can be the gateway to helping others in their community find their own way to a better world.” Quadrino’s art teacher is Christine Sweeney.

The three selected artists received a basket of books and supplies from the series producers. All entries are featured on the “Working Class” website, http://workingclass.tv, and on social media via Facebook and Twitter.

March 16 is the entry deadline for the second Student and Teacher/Parent Art Challenge: Build & Grow Green (Recycled Art). Students and parents/teachers who wish to participate in the recycled art challenge are encouraged to use ordinary art materials to transform a discarded item into a work of art. It is an opportunity to inspire innovation while reducing waste. The challenge is based on themes explored in the film “Working Class: Build & Grow Green.”

A third art challenge, Game On, invites students and adults to create classic board games or video games. The challenge is inspired by “Working Class: Game On! Math Matters,” a documentary film that premiered on WVIA in October. Entry deadline is May 18.

Entries will be received via email, with a digital photo (JPEG file) of the original artwork attached. A separate email is required for each entry and must include the following information: challenge title (Build & Grow Green or Game On); artist’s name; teacher/parent name and email address; grade, school (or homeschool); city and state; and entry category (Teacher/Parent, Student Grades K-Six, or Student Grades Seven-12).

Email entries and questions to Elaine Lambert, executive producer of “Working Class,” at elambert@pct.edu.

Films produced for the “Working Class” series are available free online through the http://workingclass.tv and www.wvia.org websites.

Last Updated February 22, 2018