Grosse Pointe Farms

Local art students shine in New York

By April Lehmbeck
C & G Staff Writer

» click to enlarge « Provided photo by Margaux Forster Margaux Forster won a gold medal in the National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Competition for this picture of her dog, Winston. Provided photo by Margaux Forster Margaux Forster won a gold medal in the National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Competition for this picture of her dog, Winston.

GROSSE POINTE FARMS — It’s nothing new when art students in the Grosse Pointe schools earn accolades for their artwork, but two high school students took it a step further by standing out in the crowd during a national competition.

“Two South students received National Scholastic Gold and Silver Medals at Carnegie Hall in New York,” Grosse Pointe South art teacher Kit Aro said in an email.

A North student also took one of the big medals during the event.

South’s Margaux Forster and Alexandra Pittel were recognized at Carnegie Hall in New York at the end of the school year when they received a gold medal and a silver medal, respectively, in the annual National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

North student Kylie Johnston won a silver in the national competition.

Actress Meryl Streep spoke during the awards event, right in front one of Forster’s photos. Forster’s top picture was also placed at Parsons New School of Design for a few weeks, Aro said in the email.

“I was honored with the prestigious award for a National Gold Medal for my photograph of my dog, Winston,” Forster said in an email. “I was completely surprised when I found out I had won a National Gold Medal.

“My photography teacher, Mrs. Aro, called me to her classroom one day, and I thought she was going to ask me something about our upcoming Artfest Show, and instead she told me that I had won,” she said.

Forster said she had entered several pieces into the regional competition and won some gold and silver keys, among other awards, at the regional level.

The awards event for the national level was in early June in New York City. Forster enjoyed being among so many other peers who are artists.

“Carnegie Hall was way more beautiful than I could have ever have imagined, and when I took my bow on the stage, I felt like I could have done anything at that moment,” Forster said.

Forster, who thanked her parents, Aro and her friends for supporting her, will move on to Michigan State University this fall, and is a bit torn when deciding what she will be majoring in between teaching and the arts.

“Whether I decide to study teaching or art, photography and art will always be a part of my life,” she said. “I hope to be able to attend art shows and sell my work.”

Other than her teacher, family and friends, she had one other special someone to thank.

“I’d like to thank my dog, Winston, for being the most amazing dog ever,” she said.

Pittel, a junior at South, won the silver medal for a photograph titled “Strung,” and Johnston, a junior at North, won a silver medal for her photograph titled “Girl in Fog.”

You can reach C & G Staff Writer April Lehmbeck at alehmbeck@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1043.