Student Art to Be Featured in Music Conservatory Mural
The Music Conservatory of Westchester has announced that Ciara Sergi, 9th grader at White Plains High School and Mya Madison Davis, 9th grader at Pelham Memorial High School, are winners of the “Colors of Music” Student Mural Contest.
Numerous entries were submitted by middle and high school students around Westchester County with the hope that their artwork would be chosen as the basis for a mural to be painted on the Music Conservatory of Westchester’s building on Central Avenue in White Plains.
Four finalists were selected by an adjudication panel of art experts and creative community leaders from New York City and Westchester County.
In a tie, based on scores from all eight members of the adjudication panel, both Ciara Sergi and Mya Madison Davis were chosen as winners of the contest. They will collaborate with professional mural artist, Jonathan Villoch, to adapt their winning designs as a large-scale mural representing the theme of “Multi- Cultural Music.” Runners-up in the contest, Emma Farley of New Rochelle, 7th grader at Albert Leonard Middle School and Lucy Schwartzreich, of Chappaqua, 11th grader at Horace Greely High School will attend a mural art workshop over the summer with all four finalists. A new mural will be developed based on the winners’ designs under Jonathan Villoch’s guidance.
“Giving and getting feedback is so important to collaboration and having an open dialogue is essential for artists to communicate productively on any project,” Villoch said of this once-in-a-lifetime artistic experience.
Ciara Sergi described her worldly entry titled “Musical Pangea”: I drew the characteristic instruments from each of the continents as a product of their traditional culture, and used their instruments to depict each continent.”
“Each artist brought his or her creative point of view. Some artists were quite literal in their interpretation; others took the theme to another level of graphic abstraction and conceptualization,” Lynn Honeysett, former Executive Director of the Pelham Art Center said of the art entries submitted by local students for the contest. “I appreciated that all the student artists brought heart and soul to their work.”
Submissions for the “Colors of Music” Student Mural Contest, supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, were judged in two rounds by eight panelists with art expertise as well as Westchester County community leaders: Margaret Adasko, Curator of Education, Katonah Museum of Art; Samantha De Tillio, Assistant Curator, Museum of Arts and Design; Michael Dweck, Treasurer and Board Trustee, Museum of Arts and Design; Jimmy Fink, Radio Personality and Producer at 107.1 The Peak; Lynn Honeysett, Former Executive Director of the Pelham Art Center; Kimberlyn V. McKoy, Gallery Associate, ArtsWestchester; Amy R. Paulin, NYS Assemblymember for the 88th District; Jonathan Villoch, Professional Mural Artist.
The Music Conservatory of Westchester will celebrate the unveiling of the final mural on Sept. 30 with a block party on the Conservatory’s grounds. The entire community is invited to enjoy live music, food trucks, and family fun.
