This post was submitted to Manual RedEye by Alana Wright (10, J&C).

Manual’s Visual Art (VA) Magnet is hosting their annual St. James art fair portfolio scholarship competition for seniors from Oct. 5-7.

Every year there are 10 finalists who the VA teachers hand-pick by sorting through the seniors’ portfolios.

“The entire ‘St. James Portfolio Competition’ wasn’t really explained to us,” Addie Clark (12, VA) said. “Honestly I don’t think any of us really understood it until this year. As students we knew it was a good thing to be chosen, but none of us knew how it worked or how the scholarships were awarded.”

Most underclassmen don’t pay attention to events like this until they are seniors, but paying attention to them now, like this art show, could help form a specific art style and sort out what stands apart from the rest.

Each finalist will have their art shown by a booth at the fair for viewing and/or purchase.

The teachers announce the winner of the scholarship on Oct. 6 at 2 p.m.

“A person’s art style is something very individual, like a fingerprint. Everyone’s brain works differently and they’ve all experienced life differently, and I think it shows in the way their art looks, not that it doesn’t take a lot of work to develop a style,” Brooke Coughenour (12, VA) said. “Part of it is natural and part of it is learned because you learn what you like and work on improving that.”

Not only can you learn about each finalist’s art style, but there is also food, jewelry, games, and other larger local artists that will be selling their art at St. James Court Art Fair.

This is a great time to show support for our school and have fun with your friends; the event is free unless you buy art, clothing or food.

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