05/18/2026
HUGE congratulations to our four Scholarship Award Recipients: South Kingstown High School - Taylor Waddell, Westerly High School - Natalie Guilmette, Barrington High School - Marketa Douglas (on behalf) and Cranston High School East - Finn Leary (on behalf). Thank you also to our panel of juror's for their time and thoughtful efforts to select this year's winners.
(A statement from each Juror)
South Kingstown High School - Taylor Waddell
Our first-place award-winner flashed a cohesiveness in her work that was hard to miss. Taylor establishes a mood in each of her pieces that runs the gamut from joyful to anxiety-ridden. And she does it with skill. Her work exhibits vibrant colors as well as muted tones. Running throughout her pieces are well-executed patterns, from swirls that recall Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, to shapes and patterns that suggest wood-cutting or lithography. She’s telling a story that simultaneously invites the viewer in, yet leaves them wary. This is an artist with ideas, a story to tell, and the skill to match.
Westerly High School - Natalie Guilmette
A compelling painting must go beyond technical skill. Natalie’s work drew me in immediately with her warm color harmonies and strong diagonals. Her skilled brushwork and paint handling made me come back to look more closely. As I did, I found solid drawing, made fresh with originality in subject choices like childhood and favorite toys, Halloween and iconic candies as well as a bit of storytelling with Snoopy and other characters. She has bravely incorporated fun, bold shapes to create work that is honest, a bit daring and that evokes emotion. Her work made me want to know more and that’s what good painting is all about.
Barrington High School - Marketa Douglas
Great portraiture conveys a sense of story, of humor, of humanity. Marketa exhibits not only strong and masterful skill across drawing and painting in her composition, draftsmanship, line, and color, and then elevates those techniques by pulling us in with compassion. The subjects of her portraits are alive. They seem complete, loving, warm, and interesting. Each portrait is a glimpse of a life, caught for just a moment. Playful expression and genuine love seem to radiate out from these slice of life candids. Art that draws you in and elicits some reciprocal feeling is great art – and these portraits of beloved strangers feel as vivid to me as if I also knew them.
Cranston High School East - Finn Leary
This artist impressed the judges with his digital artwork skill. Finn has mastered Clip Studio Paint, and his drawing and painting within the program is impeccable. As with several of the other artists, his work is cohesive, with a stark, yet striking, religious theme permeating each of his pieces. His palette is muted, yet still manages to convey depth and powerful imagery. And, lest you think that his skill is confined to the digital world, he also presents a well-executed drawing that provides insight. His ideas and creativity highlight his work.
