Tehachapi News

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Art, wine, and music greeted guests at Tehachapi's ongoing First Friday Art Around Town event on April 5, as Tehachapi Valley Arts Association announced the winners of the 13th Annual All Tehachapi Youth Art Contest.

The student submissions were on display at Gallery ‘N’ Gifts, as entertainment was provided by California State Champion Fiddle Player, 8-year-old Haydn Jones, accompanied on guitar by Gayel Pitchford. 

Across the street, this month’s featured artists at the Cross Roads Gallery, Joan Gonzales, Lynne Freeman, Judy Whitfield and Jenny-Zur-Salazar each took a moment to acknowledge and thank local artist and businesswoman Mel White for her tireless efforts in promoting visual arts in the Tehachapi Valley.

“Thank you Mel for giving us [ artists] a place to display our work and to meet our fellow artists. It's here we become stimulated and get new ideas,” said artist Judy Whitfield, a painter who has branched out into jewelry making.

Last year, Southwest Art magazine named the community of Tehachapi one of the nation's “Top ten emerging art communities of 2007.”


TVAA Youth Art Contest Winners

9th - 12th Grade, Melanie Lawson for her work in oil, “Kimi (Without an Equal)”

7th - 8th Grade division First Place winner was Lauren Grissom for “Polar Pals” a Polymer Clay sculpture piece.

5th - 6th Grade the First Place was awarded to Joseph Blewett for a tempera entry entitled, “My Dear.”

3rd - 4th Grades: The winner was Siera Franco for “Birdhouses,” a mixed media entry.

1st - 2nd Grade winner is a crayon entry by Charles Steiber, entitled “Birds Bowing.”

Kindergarten division First Place went to James Blewett for his entry, “The Alligator.”

Best of Show awards for students from kindergarten to 8th grade, went to 3rd grader, Alexa Higginbotham for “The Lost Beagle,” painted in acrylic. Alexa received a $50 monetary award in addition to her First Place ribbon.

Best of Show in the 9th - 12th grade category was won by Luke Boyd, for a Pen and Ink drawing titled “Sarah-Jean.” Luke received a monetary award of $100.