Nifty Fifty! Districtwide Student Art Show underway at the Kenosha Public Museum

Local residents witnessed firsthand the power of art — with its ability to impact human emotions and change perspectives — when boarded storefronts became murals in downtown Kenosha.

For the next month, Kenosha’s youngest and brightest artists have a platform of their own in the 50th annual Districtwide Student Art Exhibit at the Kenosha Public Museum.

The free exhibit, featuring over 1,100 pieces of art,  is on display through April 24.

“It’s always so interesting to me to see how our students express themselves, communicate and story tell through their visual images and 3D pieces,” said Scott Plank, Kenosha Unified School District Coordinator of Fine Arts.

“This is an opportunity for them to come together across the entire district and display their work and see the work of their peers.”

The display includes artwork from students in grades kindergarten through high school.

Awards were presented for two-dimensional, three-dimensional and digital design art for high school and middle school students. 

Collection awards were selected by the City of Kenosha, Kenosha Area Business Alliance, Kenosha Unified Fine Arts Department, Kenosha Unified Board of Education and Kenosha Unified Superintendent of Schools.

Rachel Klees-Anderson, Kenosha Public Museum curator of exhibits, presented awards to three elementary, three middle school and three high school students.

Lemon Street Gallery selected three pieces of art to be displayed in its showrooms.

The Helen Mears Memorial Award was presented to the district’s top seventh- and eighth-grade students.

Judges included Nancy Watson, Bruce Niemi, Peter Koszyczarek, Jessie Tuttle, Tina Niemi-Johnson and Klees-Anderson.

Somers Elementary teacher Kristine Nixon is one of several KUSD art teachers featured in a promotional YouTube video created in place of the grand opening, which traditionally attracts close to 1,000 people.

While the grand opening was canceled due to safety precautions, the show returns for the first time in two years.

“You should just see (the students’) faces lights up when they’re like ‘I’m going to be in the art show?’” Nixon said. “It’s as if you gave them the world.”

A district known for its talented music program and nationally-recognized theater department, Kenosha Unified appears to be thriving, as well, in art.

“Student voice takes many different forms,” Plank said. “It can take the form of visual communication or music or storytelling through theater or dance. Those are all different avenues for kids to express themselves. That’s important right now, especially as we just spent these last couple years with limited ability to do that.”

2022 Award Recipients

Collection Awards

Department of Fine Arts

Joeila Baduria, Grade 12, Tremper High School (Mrs. Robbin Church) — Uzumaki

Kenosha Area Business Alliance

Olivia Isetts-WIlliams, Grade 12, Tremper High School (Mrs. Robbin Church) — Motion

City of Kenosha

Alexis Meyer, Grade 11, Tremper High School (Mrs. Robbin Church) — Tiger

Superintendent of Schools

Evelyn Alcantar Aguilar, Grade 8, Lance Middle School (Mrs. Kristin Krueger) — Mountains

Board of Education

Kiara Ramirez Campos, Grade 10, Bradford High School (Ms. Beverly Su) — Rainbow Sherbert

High School

Award of Excellence in 2D Design (Judged by: Nancy Watson)

Rosie Helgeland, Grade 11, Bradford High School (Mr. David Koel) — Wiser Than You Know

Nadia Covelli, Grade 12, Indian Trail High School (Ms. Allyson Neu) — Adonis

Reanna Stevens, Grade 9, Indian Trail High School (Ms. Bri Sayeg) — Hunter

Briana Tocci, Grade 11, Tremper High School (Mrs. Robbin Church) — Kitsune

Ashley Osorio, Grade 12, Tremper High School (Ms. Laura Covelli) — Broken Path

Luchia Ricker, Grade 11, Tremper High School (Ms. Sarah Gapinski) — Vetrina

Award of Excellence in 3D Design (Judged by: Bruce Niemi)

Ellsa Rumph, Grade 11, Bradford High School (Mrs. Cara Leiting) — The Residence of Disco Fever; Band Studio

Ian Gates, Grade 12, Indian Trail High School (Ms. Bri Sayeg) — The King of the Cretaceous Period

Neil DuJardin, Grade 11, Tremper High School (Mrs. Robbin Church) — Clyde

Tyler Stanz, Grade 11, Tremper High School (Mrs. Robbin Church) — Claudia

Tristan Krueser, Grade 12, Tremper High School (Mrs. Robbin Church) — Levitate

Joeila Baduria, Grade 12, Tremper High School (Mrs. Robbin Church) — Uzumaki

Award of Excellence in Digital Design (Judged by: Peter Koszyczarek and Jessie Tuttle)

Nadia Covelli, Grade 12, Indian Trail Communications Academy (Mrs. Sandra Bleser) — Amalia

Jane Sekas, Grade 12, Indian Trail Communications Academy (Mrs. Sandra Bleser) — Lorelai’s Colors

Matthew Torresin, Grade 10, Indian Trail Communications Academy (Ms. Katie Sciarra) — Hand Painted Typography Self Portrait

Dania Hernandez, Grade 11, Indian Trail Communications Academy (Ms. Katie Sciarra) — Digital Subtractive Scratch Art – Self Portrait

Jesse Brackney, Grade 9, Reuther High School (Mrs. Amy Misurelli-Sorenson) — Digital Self Portrait

Nicole Smith, Grade 12, Tremper High School (Ms. Laura Covelli) — Reflecting

Middle School

Award of Excellence in 2D Design (Judged by: Tina Niemi-Johnson)

Sydney Hesprich, Grade 7, Bullen Middle School (Mx. Kat Frederick) — Rats Away

Eva Vargas, Grade 7, Bullen Middle School (Mx. Kat Frederick) — Ship Postcard

Jessica Camacho, Grade 7, Dimensions of Learning (Mrs. Jurga Petkus) — Portrait

Lydia Kennedy, Grade 8, Lance Middle School (Mrs. Kristin Krueger) — Zen Snake

Brady Starosta, Grade 8, Mahone Middle School (Mrs. Katie Starosta) — Graffiti Name Design

Alyssa Flannery, Grade 8, The Brompton School (Mrs. Angela Konicki) — My Character

Award of Excellence in 3D Design (Judged by: Bruce Niemi)

Liliana Kolczaski, Grade 6, The Brompton School (Mrs. Angela Konicki) — Chihuly Sculpture

Eva Ziccarelli, Grade 8, Lance Middle School (Mrs. Kristin Krueger) — Spirit Animal

Daniela Taft, Grade 8, Lincoln Middle School (Ms. Chelsea Deaton) — The Watch Tower

Lily Andrews, Grade 7, The Brompton School (Mrs. Angela Konicki) — Pop Art

Curator’s Awards (Judged by: Rachel Kees-Andersen)

Elementary School

Carter Wtorkowski, Grade 4, KTEC (Mrs. Kristin Cushman) — Blue Portrait

Alaina Franklin, Grade 4, Dimensions of Learning (Mrs. Jurga Petkus) — Picasso Portrait

Jack Morton, Grade 3, Whittier Elementary School (Mrs. Mary Beth Braun) — Inspired by Alma Thomas

Middle School

Anbriana Pillizzi, Grade 7, Washington Middle School (Ms. Meredith Huber) — Watercolor Flower

Violet Ortiz, Grade 6, The Brompton School (Mrs. Angela Konicki) — Pop Art

Michelle Miks, Grade 8, Bullen Middle School (Mx. Kat Frederick) — A Take on Starry Night

High School

Ashley Osorio, Grade 12, Tremper High School (Ms. Laura Covelli) — Ojos Verde

Alexa Didinsky, Grade 11, Bradford High School (Mr. David Koel) — Ginesburg

Cassidy Gallagher, Tremper High School (Mrs. Laura Covelli) — Long Exposure

Lemon Street Awards

First place

Rosie Helgeland, Grade 11, Bradford High School (Mr. David Koel) — Good Bones

Second place

Corbin Fromelt, Grade 11, Bradford High School (Mr. David Koel) — Automation

Third place

Ashley Osorio, Grade 12, Tremper High School (Mrs. Covelli) — Broken Path

Helen Mears Awards

First place

Eliza Keller, Grade 7, Dimensions of Learning (Mrs. Jurga Petkus) — Beatle

Eliana Poulsen, Grade 8, Lance Middle School (Mrs. Kristin Krueger) — Funguy

Alyssa Flannery, Grade 8, The Brompton School (Mrs. Angela Konicki) — My Character

Second place

Sydney Hesprich, Grade 7, Bullen Middle School (Mx. Kat Frederick) — Rats Away

Vianca Miranda-Tovar, Grade 7, KTEC (Ms. Bryanna Van Caster) — Self-Portrait

Ashley Rodriguez Mendoza, Grade 8, Lincoln (Ms. Rachel Koepke) — Glump

Third place

Rowen Crowder, Grade 8, KTEC (Ms. Bryanna Van Caster) — Jackal

Aubry Smith, Grade 7, Dimensions of Learning (Ms. Jurga Petkus) — Butterfly

Leah Carver, Grade 8, Lance Middle School (Mr. Daniel Delaney) — Color Wheel