The George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts Announces Annual Visual Arts and Songwriting Contest Winners

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NEW ORLEANS (press launch) – The George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts (GRFA) introduced now the winners of its yearly visual art and songwriting contests, awarding 13 superior faculty juniors and seniors from across Louisiana with $25,000 in higher education scholarships (winners mentioned down below). Winners from the Songwriting contest, in partnership with the Trombone Shorty Foundation, will have the option to complete at the foundation’s future once-a-year fundraiser, Shorty Fest (day TBD). The 2021 contest theme was “Alone Jointly: Artwork in the Time of Pandemic,” which inspired college students to replicate and check out their feelings on this tricky 12 months and create performs of artwork and tunes influenced by their reflections.

“This year’s art and songwriting contest winners ended up really special,” says Jacques Rodrigue, GRFA’s Govt Director.  “It has not been easy for these learners, understanding practically from dwelling, and lacking the in-particular person aid and friendship that is so vital in the course of significant college decades. These students overcame numerous problems confronted and designed artwork that was all-encompassing of the 12 months we have all experienced. My hope is that these artists will proceed to inspire and uplift other folks just as they have finished with us via this contest.”

College students were being questioned to consider the adhering to questions when developing their first art and songs:

  • How has disaster and disorder formed art all over background?
  • How has your everyday living transformed as a consequence of COVID-19?
  • What does social distancing and quarantine necessarily mean to you?
  • What has been the most challenging element of this calendar year for you?
  • What do you overlook most about everyday living in advance of COVID-19?
  • What is your hope for the long term?

Songwriting Contest Winners: A panel of celebrity judges, which include Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes (New Orleans musician, e book author and ethnographic photographer), Aaron Wilkinson (Honey Island Swamp Band), Robin Barnes (“The Songbird of New Orleans”), Paul Sanchez (musician, founding member of the rock band Cowboy Mouth) and Don Markowitz (American composer very best regarded for co-composing the Academy Award successful music, “I’ve Had the Time of My Life”) selected a few finalists to share $6,000 in higher education scholarships. Judging requirements was centered on structure and composition, melody, and lyrics. Winners will also have the prospect to conduct at the Trombone Shorty Foundation’s annual fundraiser, Shorty Fest (date TBD).

 

*Soundcloud documents for each individual track are hyperlinked under.

1st Location – $3,000

Keelan Jiles, Jr. (Junior, Warren Easton Senior Significant School, New Orleans)

“Viral War”

 

2nd Spot – $2,000

Thai Booker (Senior, Ponchatoula Substantial School, Ponchatoula)

“21’”

 

3rd Area – $1,000

Owusu Diallo (Junior, New Orleans Middle for Inventive Arts, New Orleans)

“What We Feelin”

 

“What a yr it is been, and it is so uplifting to see the imaginative expression that will come out of demanding times,” says Invoice Taylor, Govt Director of the Trombone Shorty Basis. “These young songwriters have made this sort of talented and influenced operate.”

 

Visual Art Contest Winners: Contest judges selected the beneath 10 finalists to share $19,000 in university scholarships. Particular person visible artwork was judged on concept/structure, complex ability and creative imagination.

Artwork contest judges involved Janet Wolfe (Artist and Artwork Educator), Jill Hackney (Artist), Dana Holland-Bieckert (Curator – Rodrigue Studio), Misty Taylor (Collections and Exhibitions Supervisor – Hilliard Art Museum), Kay LaFrance (Outdated Put up Workplace Museum, Winnsboro), Emily Feazel (Designer, Reveals & Exclusive Events – R.W. Norton Artwork Gallery), Kathy Rodriguez (Professor, Office of Good Arts – College of New Orleans), Priscilla Simpson (Director of Activities and Operations – Shaw Heart for the Arts), Tammie Haubner (Director – Imperial Calcasieu Museum) and Catherine Pears (Govt Director – Alexandria Museum of Art).

 

*Complete particulars on each and every winner’s artwork can be discovered Listed here. Image information for every winner are hyperlinked beneath.

 

1st Location Senior — $5,000

John Landry (Teurlings Catholic Substantial University Lafayette, LA)

“Quarantine Blues”

 

2nd Spot Senior – $4,000

Faith Bass (St. Mary’s Dominican Superior College, New Orleans, LA)

“Pandemics: History Repeats Itself”

 

3rd Position Senior – $3,000

Angel Caine (Woodlawn Superior Faculty, Baton Rouge, LA)

“Mania”

 

4th Location Senior – $2,000

Alaina Le (St. Thomas Extra Higher University, Lafayette, LA)

“Disconnected”

 

5th Area Senior – $1,000

Catherine Rollins (St. Joseph’s Academy, Baton Rouge, LA)

“Autism and an Alien World”

 

1st Position Junior – $1,500

Isabelle Stelly (Southside Highschool, Youngsville, LA)

“Reflections in Quarantine”

 

2nd Place Junior – $1,000

Chloe Babin (Vandebilt Catholic Significant University, Houma, LA)

“The Persistence of Covid”

 

3rd Place Junior – $750

Adisyn Estes (Sam Houston Superior University, Lake Charles, LA)

“Silenced by Circumstance”

 

4th Area Junior – $500

Iris Kobrock (New Orleans Heart for Resourceful Arts, New Orleans, LA)

“New Storms”

 

5th Area Junior – $250

Yazmin Carmona (Woodlawn Significant School, Baton Rouge, LA)

“When the Earth Stopped”

 

 

Distinctive thanks to this year’s sponsors: Jones Walker, Paul Leaman, Dathel Georges, Barbara and Biff Motley.

 

Started by George Rodrigue in 2009, the GRFA Scholarship Arts Contest has obtained 5,881 submissions and awarded $530,000 in overall scholarships to just about 200 learners. For more data, be sure to visit georgerodriguefoundation.org.