Hoover student wins ‘Best in Show’ at statewide high school art exhibit

Hoover High School Class of 2016 graduate Byron Arroyo won “Best in Show” out of about 250 pieces of art at the 2016 Statewide High School Art Exhibit.

The art exhibit was sponsored by the Shelby County Arts Council and the UAB Department of Art and Art History. 

Arroyo’s artwork, a 3-D design titled “Cyborg,” stands 6 feet tall and was constructed out of a mixture of metal and clay.

Juror Lauren Lake, UAB Department of Art and History chair, said she was “very impressed with the quality of the works from [across] the state,” according to a press release. 

Winners of the competition were announced during the opening reception and College Preview Day on Sunday, April 10, at the Shelby County Arts Council Gallery.

This gallery is a yearly event that is intended as an educational opportunity, according to a release. Students learn to photograph their work for submission, complete the entry process and prepare their piece for public display.

The Gallery Exhibit was on display through the month of April at the SCAC Gallery in Columbiana. 

Winners in each category: 

► Byron Arroyo, 12th grade, Hoover High School:  Best of Show and Best of 3-D Design 

► Megan Naylor, 10th grade, Clay-Chalkville High School: Best of Drawing, “Wild Raw Emotions”

► Jenesye King, 10th grade, Alabama School of Fine Arts: Best of Mixed Media, “Americanized”

► Emily Kent, 11th grade, Saint James School: Best of Painting, “Gastonburg”

► Katie Mosley, 11th grade, Hoover High School: Best of Photography, “Untitled” 

Receiving Honorable Mentions for their artwork: 

► Laura Alston, 12th grade, Spain Park High School: Mixed Media 

► Joshua Barnes, 11th grade, Alabama School of Fine Arts: Mixed Media 

► Derek Cebrian, 11th grade, Hoover High School: Drawing 

► Jordan Clayton, 10th grade, Booker T. Washington Magnet School: Photography

► Sydney Harrington, 12th grade, Oak Mountain High School: Painting 

► Daniel Hernandez, 12th grade, Hewitt-Trussville High School: Mixed Media 

► Caleb Griffin, 12th grade, Booker T. Washington Magnet School: Photography

► Amelia Reardon, 11th grade, Oak Mountain High School: Mixed Media