Cupertino Art Students Fare Well in Local Show

Cupertino high schools and student artists recorded top prizes, including the overall grand prize, in a Sunnyvale-based corporate-sponsored art show.

In the “overall-school” category  took home the $2,500 grand prize and a trophy; Lynbrook High School earned a $500 prize; and  and each walked away with $200 prizes.

This was the sixth year Sunnyvale’s Blue Coat Systems—an application management and data security company—has sponsored its Community Art Showcase and grant program.

"The company wants to support art and schools," says Virginia Belsheim, senior facilities manager of Blue Coat and a judge in the contest.  

Monta Vista has participated in each of those six years, and Brian Chow, Monta Vista’s art department chairman, says the school is still spending the money won last year, most of which goes toward art supplies and frames for photographs.

First-time entrant Julia Wang of Monta Vista plans to save the $500 first-prize winnings she earned for her untitled entry in the drawing category. The grand prize “artist” category and $1,000 was awarded to Mabelle Bong of Los Gatos High School.

Palo Alto High School, which won $200 in the overall school category, has used prize money to fund its student-run arts and entertainment magazine, titled [Proof].  The magazine has been awarded the CSP Crown Award from Columbia University.

Artwork from 23 public and private schools was judged by a four-judge panel—which critiqued technique, originality and presentation—that included Sonya Paz, Paul Schick, Ken Schwab, and Virginia Belsheim.

Robert Kusters, host of the showcase, stressed the importance of harnessing creativity in overcoming obstacles, rather than relying on formulas.

Additional individual awards were also given to Cupertino students.

Cuptertino High School's Naree Kae placed second, and Vanessa Chung and Josh Perez placed third in sculpting. 

Homestead High School’s Amanda Yam and Yukura Tanemura, placed second and third respectively in the drawing category, and Alice Hoang of Lynbrook High School also grabbed a third place.

Two Monta Vista students did well in the photography section, Chris Berger and Stephen Canale each garnering a third-place prize.

Grace Kim and Lillian Yi of Lynbrook High School each nabbed third places in painting.

Honorable mentions were given to Patricia Zhang of Cupertino High, Crystal Lee of Homestead, Alisha Deshmukh of Monta Vista, and Matthew Shepherd of Lynbrook.