The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR) – The VFW National Auxiliary is pleased to present the 3-Dimensional National art contest. A student must submit an original-dimensional piece of artwork. Local students in grades 9-12 have the opportunity to compete for $5,500 in national scholarships.
On April 8th, VFW Post 1033 awarded VFW Auxiliary National art contest winners at Boys Home. The first-place winner of the 3-Dimensional Patriotic Art Contest was Eliza Nadine Bolen. Eliza is a home school student whose mother teaches art at Boys Home. Eliza’s piece was a mix media, paper ache, air dry clay, acrylic paint entitled ONE OF MANY. Eliza was also the winner of VFW Auxiliary District 6. She will now move onto the Department level. Good luck Eliza.
One of Many is a somber piece paying respects and remembrance to fallen soldiers from all foreign wars. The uniform the soldier is wearing is from World War One where the symbol of the poppy originated. Instead of wearing the poppy clipped onto the chest, a bouquet of poppies is displayed on to the face in remembrance to known and unknown fallen soldiers’, demonstrating the rawness and reality of war. This soldier statue is symbolic to be one of many who lost their lives fighting for other countries.
First, I hand built a cardboard structure in the shape I wanted the body to be, filling the inside with aluminum foil to stabilize the structure. Afterwards the structure was layered with paper mache to give the air-dry clay a nice foundation to spread on, to shape the body, and added details on to the uniform, finished with a paper mache cap. Each poppy was individually built and shaped by hand with air dry clay then hot glued to the soldier’s face. Utilizing acrylic paint, selecting gray to resemble other monuments and statues, as well as selecting red, yellow and black acrylic to hand finish the poppies.
The VFW National Auxiliary is pleased to present the Illustrating America National art contest to introduce, encourage and recognize young artists with patriotism through art to students in grades K-8. Entries were judged on patriotic theme and technique.
Second place in the Illustrating America Art Contest was Keith Eddy whose art entry was a mix media on canvas. Third place in Illustrating America was Jesus Gonzalez who also did a mix media on canvas.
Thank you to Boys Home for annually supporting our national youth programs. They consistently have winners, and we are proud to have them a part of the team. Keep up the good work.
3-Dimensional Patriotic Art submitted by contest winner, Eliza Nadine Bolen
(Photo courtesy Marian Paxton)
