'It gets better and better:' Seven DVHS and DVOC art students advance to state art competition

Seven student artists from Del Valle High School and the Del Valle Opportunity Center are headed to the state Visual Arts and Scholastic Event (VASE), marking a significant milestone in their artistic development and careers.

They join a top-tier group of 113 entries from across the state whose art will be judged at the state level for the chance to receive a Gold Seal Award, the highest achievement possible in VASE. Their achievements, along with those of regional medalists, were celebrated Thursday evening during an awards ceremony held for all 55 VASE participants at Del Valle High School.

“I’m so proud of not only our students but also our new teachers, who have grown in the past two years,” said DVHS art teacher Katy Potts. “I’ve done VASE five times now, and it feels like each time we do it, it gets better and better. The team gets better and better; the students get better and better. It’s not just watching the students grow, and it’s watching the art program grow as well.”

This is senior Yahir Vences’ second time qualifying for the state competition, with two pieces advancing to the final stage. It’s the first time one of his ceramic pieces makes it to the state competition.

“I was kind of worried with that one,” he said about his ceramic piece. “It was my first year working with clay like that, but I still felt confident. I worked on it for a really long time.”

The ceramic piece depicts a bright orangy-red octopus and a lime-green turtle in their natural habitat, contrasting and ultimately complementing each other. His ceramics teacher, Ms. Paige Ashley, said this was Yahir’s first piece in her class and his first time using the pinching technique.

He was one of two state qualifiers last year and said he’s glad more students are attending this year. “There are a whole lot of good artists here, and I’m happy that more people are going to state this year since there were only two of us last year,” Yahir said.

One of those joining Yahir is senior Jasmine Zapata. It was also her first time entering the regional VASE competition. Her qualifying piece is a colored pencil drawing that looks more like a painting a first glance. The subject is her friend group and references a memory of when the four of them got together to celebrate their birthdays in December.

“These are my closest friends that I’ve made this year. We’ve been through a lot together. We wanted to celebrate together and have something special where we could connect, and they really mean a lot to me,” she said when asked about the inspiration for the piece. 

“I’ve been eyeing VASE since I was a freshman, but I was always in different art classes. I didn't think I had anything like this in me,” Jasmine said. 

She’s had a busy senior year, working on her art pieces and launching a campuswide zine, like a magazine, featuring original art, drawings, photos, and writing. 

In addition to the state recognitions, the selected DVHS and DVOC VASE students received 57 regional awards, with others receiving honorable mentions. The regional artwork was on display Thursday night, while the state-qualifying artwork was already sent to the state competition for judging. 

Art teachers recognized all the competitors for their work and celebrated Chloee Soroloa and Richard Torres, whose art was selected for this year’s Texas Art Education Association’s Your Art Month Exhibition at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in March. 

The artists advancing to the state competition in April in San Marcos include: 

• Jasmine Zapata
• Kaliyah Lewis
• Viviona Mendez
• Yahir Vences
• Adair Luna
• Chloee Sorola
• Joash Gregorich
   

You can see the full list of winners and their work at this link.

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