Two students’ art pieces have been selected to be shown at the New Horizons Art Show at the Shemer Art Center. Leslie Simon and Tiana Do are two of the 45 submissions that were accepted.

The New Horizons Art Show is an annual art show that showcases student talent from high schools around the valley. Two pieces are submitted per school, and this year 55 schools participated, making a total of 110 applicants. Artists who have been accepted receive scholarships to classes at Shemer Art Center, and their work is displayed at Phoenix City Hall.

The art pieces were submitted by Joanne Kaye, an art teacher at Ridge.

“When I submit a student’s work to an exhibit, I look for work that has a well communicated concept, it has to be produced at a high quality skill level, and the artist needs to present their work in a professional manner. The student is not only representing themselves through their art, but also representing MRHS and the other art students at our school,” Kaye says.

Do’s and Simon’s pieces had very different concepts. Do’s was a black and white nature based piece, while Leslie Simon’s was a colored pencil portrait of Freddie Mercury. Their inspirations were complete opposites as well. Do says she draws what she thinks is cool and Simon created the Freddie Mercury portrait to honor his legacy.

The two of them are both excited to have made it into the art show. Do never expected it, and for Simon, it means a lot to share her work with a larger audience.

“It’s special because I’ve been drawing since I was young, and it’s my form of self-expression, so it’s an honor for these pieces to be shown,” Simon states.

For young artists, having their work exhibited in an art show can motivate them to continue creating and expressing themselves. In fact, both Leslie Simon and Tiana Do plan to pursue art after high school and into college. This, hopefully, is only one of many art shows they will be in. Congratulations Tiana Do and Leslie Simon!