Attention all Associate, Bachelor, and Masters Degree candidates with an interest in the visual arts, currently enrolled at a Midwest Regional public or private college or university.No matter what major, if you paint, illustrate, sculpt, design, draw, photograph, or just create art, you are eligible to enter the 3rd Annual Fine Art Finals Midwest Scholarship Competition.
Media accepted into Midwest Collegiate Regional Scholarship Competition include:
Drawing - graphite, colored pencil, pen and ink, marker, pastel, charcoal, etc.
Painting - oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, etc.
Printmaking - etching, lithography, screen-printing, etc.
Notification of Finalists by E-mail: January 8, 2010 Notification of Winners by E-mail: January 18, 2010 Scholarships mailed to Winners:February 1, 2010
Midwest Region includes the following States:
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, & Wisconsin
Peter Bertucci from Lincoln-Way North High School in Frankfort, IL was the First Place Winner of the $500 Scholarship Award (with an additional $250 awarded to his school's art department) in the 2008 Fine Art Finals Illinois High School Scholarship Competition with his 24"x30" charcoal drawing Reflective Moments pictured above. Peter was kind to take part in a brief interview. Here is what he said:
Fine Art Finals: Why do you create art? What are you trying to say with your art? Peter Bertucci:I really enjoy creating art pieces that give the viewer the opportunity to think about what is going on in each scene. The idea is to create a piece in which it portrays a story and I like to capture that story in my artwork. Fine Art Finals: What are you trying to say with your art?
Peter Bertucci:I am a realistic artist and I try to depict scenes in which the viewer can immerse themselves in the piece and create their own perception of what the story is about. Fine Art Finals: How long have you been creating art?
Peter Bertucci:I started drawing at the age of 6 years old. So, I have been creating art for 10 years. Fine Art Finals:Are your family and friends supportive in your pursuit of art? Peter Bertucci:Yes, I have a very supportive network of family and friends. My parents recognized my artistic ability very early on. My brother, James is also a very accomplished artist. So, we have been developing our skills and abilities for a very long time. Our family and friends are very supportive as well as our community and high school, Lincoln Way East and North of suburban Frankfort, IL.
Fine Art Finals:Are you in an Art Program at your high school? Are you in any art clubs such as Art Honor Society, etc? Peter Bertucci:Yes, I am currently in the Gifted Art Program at Lincoln Way North High School. I an not currently in any art club. They do not currently have any Art Honor Society at my school.
Fine Art Finals:How has your high school supported you in your pursuit of art? Peter Bertucci:Lincoln-Way High Schools are extremely supportive of the arts. The teachers are there for hands on support. They assist us in any way possible for us to learn and take our art to the next level. Fine Art Finals:Do you plan on pursuing art in college? If so, what type of art program or major will you pursue? Peter Bertucci:I am currently looking into various options and art programs. I am not sure about my art major as of yet, but I know that I will be in an art program. Fine Art Finals:What is your favorite medium(s) to work in and why? Peter Bertucci:My favorite mediums are charcoal, pastel and graphite. I like charcoal because of the texture it gives to the piece. I enjoy graphite because of how smooth it lays on the canvas. Pastels are wonderful because you get the opportunity to explore a variety of colors to combine on canvas and the outcome of each piece is amazing! Fine Art Finals:What is your philosophy and work ethic in creating your art? Peter Bertucci:I believe that you must be dedicated and willing to put in the hours necessary to create and develop your ability. I personally put in at least 4-5 hours a day into my artwork.
Fine Art Finals:Who is your favorite artist(s) and why? Peter Bertucci:I like Vincent Van Gogh because of his use of color. I also appreciate many other famous artists for their style and creativity in their artwork.
Fine Art Finals:What artist most influences your work and why? Peter Bertucci:Michelangelo influences me the most because his paintings portray realism and the great use of color. Fine Art Finals:Do you have any other interests beyond art, and if so, what are they and do these interests influence your art? Peter Bertucci:I enjoy sports. When I participate in a sport activity, it is fun and relaxes me. I don't think it influences my art but it allows me to relax so that when I get back to my artwork, I have a clearer focus and a fresh perspective to my piece. Fine Art Finals:Is there a specific career path you wish to follow utilizing your artistic talents, and if so, what is your plan for utilizing your artistic skills in the future? Peter Bertucci:Right now I am focusing on what major in the arts that I might pursue and I know that will lead me to a specific career path. Fine Art Finals:Have you received any other scholarships to pursue your art education? Peter Bertucci:No, I have not yet received any (other) scholarships to pursue my art education. Fine Art Finals:How did you hear about Fine Art Finals Scholarship Competitions? Peter Bertucci:I found out about your competition from by high school counselor. Fine Art Finals:How has winning or placing in Fine Art Finals Scholarship Competitions helped you? Peter Bertucci:It has allowed me the opportunity to be judged on my abilities with fellow artists around the region and it gives me the chance to improve my skills to better myself.
Fine Art Finals:What advice would you give other student artists?
Peter Bertucci:I would recommend that they continue to pursue their art interests. Sign up for art classes, if available at their school or private lessons in their communities. Dedication and always striving to be and do their best is important. It takes work and discipline and you can have fun but always focus on taking your interests to the next level. Try new things with your art. Your expression in your artwork is your signature or your statement of who you are-go for it!
Fine Art Finals:Is there any relation between you and 2009 West/Southwest Collegiate Honorable Mention James Bertucci from the Laguna College of Art and Design in California?
Peter Bertucci:Yes, James Bertucci is my oldest brother. I also have a brother Joe, who is 18. James started drawing at age 3. He is a National Award Winning Artist and he has been very supportive of my work. Our family works together as a team to enhance our art talent. My mother's family had artistic talent and she saw our abilities from very early on and focused attention to it. Our parents did not push art on us but encouraged us to pursue the use of our talents. I am not sure as yet if I will attend Laguna College of Art and Design. Right now, I am exploring my options at this point.
Fine Art Finals: Thank you Peter. Congratulations again and we wish you continued success!
Eden Williams from Utah State University in Utah was the Third Place Winner of the $300 Scholarship Award in the 2009 Fine Art Finals West/Southwest Regional Scholarship Competition with her 8"x10" traditional photograph Man in Straw Hat pictured above. Eden was kind to take part in a brief interview. Here is what she said:
Fine Art Finals: Why do you create art? Eden Williams: I create simply to have a voice. It feels like I cannot be heard any other way. I cry out with my art. I want people to open their eyes to the world around them. I hope that I can expose people to my ideas and view of the world. Making a statement with art is a gentler mode of communication than outright telling a person, because people tend to reject an idea if someone is telling them what to think. As a successful artist, I believe one can make the viewer FEEL emotion directed to a particular subject. Hopefully the viewer will gain much insight and understanding.
Fine Art Finals:What are you trying to say with your art?
Eden Williams: I want people to wake up from this world of delusion that we are all living in and have been accustomed to enjoy. I strongly feel as if there is not much real human interaction anymore. It’s like we’ve all been trained on the proper ways in which to behave. We’ve learned our lifestyles and interactions from television and other’s before us. From my experience, if someone is brave enough (and coherent, not under the influence of substances) to try to behave like a real human- to be creative- we immediately shut them down and usually falsely label them as crazy. There is no understanding in this situation. I believe that many people are incapable (or unwilling) of understanding creativity.
Fine Art Finals: How long have you been creating art?
Eden Williams: Ever since I can remember. I would call myself an artist if I didn’t despise the term so much. I feel like too many people steal that title and call it their own. The title of artist seems hardly defined and so lucid that the term can be thrown around without too much thought. Admire the modest ones.
Fine Art Finals: Are your family and friends supportive in your decision to pursue art?
Eden Williams: My family is so full of love for me. They have been nothing but supportive, loving, and positive towards me. If I ever wanted to make a bad choice, they loved me so much that they allowed me to make it (with words of caution of course), and were always there for me.
Fine Art Finals: What is your area of concentration in art (commercial art, fine art, art history, etc) and why?
Eden Williams: Undecided, I find enjoyment in many mediums.
Fine Art Finals: What was the deciding factor in choosing the school you are attending?
Eden Williams: Half-off tuition, in addition to a fabulous ceramics program.
Fine Art Finals: What is your major?
Eden Williams: Art right now, but I am involved in a very serious internal debate with myself to switch to holistic nutrition. Fine Art Finals: What is your favorite medium(s) to work in and why?
Eden Williams: I love to draw. I love that a piece of paper can become something so much more. Maybe this sounds kind of weird, but sometimes I just space out while staring at a blank page. An image will just appear, so then I trace it. This technique kinda makes me feel like I’m cheating…
Fine Art Finals: What is your philosophy and work ethic in creating your art?
Eden Williams: Make a statement, and don’t show off anything you are not proud of… That kind of publicity comes only after your death.
Fine Art Finals: Who is your favorite artist(s) and why?
Eden Williams: Clay Custer. His works have an infinite and timeless feeling to them. Upon viewing his paintings, not only do you get to admire and develop a taste for thisbeauty, but one derives a genuine experience, hopefully feeling more at peace with themselves, and the beautiful, natural world around them. Marcy Skinner. She is a children’s book author. Canvas is not her medium. Instead, she paints eqsquistly with the flow of words. Positive and kind, full of learning love and laughter: I guarantee that you will encapture that genuine wonderment that faded as you grew older by walking down a beaten path with the words of Marcy, a friend to everyone. Sky Sunlight Saxon. I admire this musician for dedicating his life to a cause. This man saw the light, and rallied for a change in the world. My favorite songs are “world of Dreams” and “Down the Nile” from the album: Down the Nile.
Fine Art Finals: What artist most influences your work and why?
Eden Williams: Sky Sunlight Saxon. He saw truth, and tried to share his version of it with the world. I admire that quality in anyone.
Fine Art Finals: Do you have any other interests beyond art; what are they and do these interests influence your art?
Eden Williams: I love animals and don’t want them to suffer anymore. Guess why I think? As a society we have become so poisoned. Poisoned by the media and poisoned by our food. Food; mainly animal products are filled with pesticides and hormones. These toxic substances definitely affect human functioning-- Turning light- filled people into shallow sheeple. They will slow you down and cloud up your mind, disturbing your inner peace and rendering you incapable of reaching a higher state of mind and reduce your ability to vibrate on a higher level. Please don’t contribute to animal suffering, it’s wrong. The Vegan Diet is the original diet that god himself choose for us (in the garden of Eden) because he loves us and knows that eating plant foods (as opposed to animals and chemicals) will make us happy. Please help make the world a better place, enlighten yourselves and be happy.I am currently working on a series with mixed mediums to embellish that standpoint.
Fine Art Finals: Is there a specific career path you wish to follow utilizing your artistic talents, and if so, what is your plan for utilizing your artistic skills in the future?
Eden Williams: I would like to finagle a way to make life my art; I want to make a beautiful change in the world, not only by creating a piece of 2-d or 3-d piece of art. I will strive to direct and compose the life around me to create something truly beautiful. Truth, love, understanding and compassion.
Fine Art Finals: How do (did) you support yourself financially while attending college?
Eden Williams: Financial aid, greenhouse work, and scholarships.
Fine Art Finals: How did you hear about Fine Art Finals Scholarship Competitions?
Eden Williams: My amazing mother directed me to it.
Fine Art Finals: How has winning or placing in Fine Art Finals Scholarship Competitions helped you?
Eden Williams: I was reminded that I do have a talent. This experience has encouraged me to continue to pursue my love in life- which is art.
Fine Art Finals: What advice would you give other student artists?
Eden Williams: Get yourself out there. Change the world with your talent.
Fine Art Finals: Thank you Eden. Congratulations again, and we wish you continued success!
The Fine Art Finals Scholarship Competitions are dedicated to the promotion of talented and gifted emerging artists at the High School and Collegiate levels, and awards their mastery of technique and excellence of artistic achievement.
