SunAh (Victoria) Shim, Cotter junior, is recognized by the Minnesota Scholastic Art Award with a Gold Key which entitles her artwork to be considered for national-level recognition.

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards has highlighted the creative talent of teenagers from all over the country for over 90 years.  The Minnesota Scholastic Art Awards works with the organization to create an opportunity for students in the state of Minnesota to compete at a national level.  It accepts artwork from all over the state of Minnesota.

This year there were over 2,900 entries submitted for judging in 28 categories of art and writing. Students compete for Gold Key, Silver Key and Honorable Mention awards in 28 different categories. Gold Key awards go through a second round of judging to be selected for a national competition.

“I told SunAh about the competition because I knew that she had a special interest in art.  She has developed good skills in art and I knew that she could do well.  I select a few students each year for this competition.  SunAh is only the second student from Cotter to receive the Gold Key award.” said Cotter’s art teacher, Mrs. Forney.

SunAh (Victoria) Shim is a student came from Seoul, Korea. She created a captivating self- portrait entitled “Afloat” with colored pencil and gouache. Victoria is currently not taking any art classes.  “I brainstormed, structured, planned, and colored it all by myself. It took me ten days to come up with the idea, and I finished painting it after twenty days,” she said.

“I was having a hard time thinking about my future at the time since I have lots of interests in different areas such as musical, athletic, and artistic fields. All of sudden, I realized that all my thoughts were ending up getting nowhere. Too many concerns, too many thoughts….. So instead of trying to make a decision, I started to let myself draw whatever there was in my head.

“Later, I wanted to draw myself exhausted by thinking too much. I put the water as a background because I was craving for a rest, at least in the picture. And I put a rubber duck, something that we don’t have to think a lot about, like the time you don’t have to think a lot about the duck at your bathtub when we were young. And I’m biting my lips since I don’t want to give up figuring out what I really want to do. So…my painting is supposed to look pretty simple like that, a face and a duck. But there are lots of stories behind,” she said.
“SunAh created this piece of artwork with colored pencil and gouache.  Gouache is a type of watercolor that is more opaque.  She has used  a very keen sense of drawing from observation.  She is good at examining detail,” Mrs. Forney said, “SunAh is a hardworking student with a desire to learn.  She knows that knowledge and mastery can be developed with effort.  She will continue to find success in many areas of her life.”

Pictured: Cotter art teacher Mary Forney and SunAh Shim