Art show displays some of region’s best

Merry Cammack, a junior at the Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, has made it a personal goal to win the award that, like her, bears the name of her grandmother, Merry Cammack, a former fine arts coordinator for Evergreen School District.

The younger Cammack came one step closer to that dream when she won the Jack Osier Award at this year’s Southwest Washington Regional High School Art Show, which is sponsored by Educational Service District 112.

o What: Opening reception, awards ceremony and panel of professional artists speaking about careers in art.

o Where: ESD 112, 2500 N.E. 65th Ave.

o When: 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Cammack’s self-portrait was selected by former Mountain View art teacher Jack Osier for what he said was good brush work, texture, line and color.

“It was exciting to get something; a lot of my friends didn’t get any awards,” Cammack said. “It’s still my goal to get the Merry Cammack award. I’m just hoping I can do that next year.”

The self-portrait that won Cammack the award, and other works by local student artists, will be on display at the ESD 112 headquarters at 2500 N.E. 65th Ave. through March.

This year’s show received a record-breaking 271 entries from high school students from Clark, Skamania, Cowlitz, Wahkiakum, Klickitat and Pacific counties.

Students submit their work through art teachers and each school has its own guidelines for submissions, said Mike Watters, regional high school art show coordinator for ESD 112. Submissions are judged by a panel of art teachers who are retired or work outside of ESD 112.

Eighteen student works that won regional awards will be sent to Olympia to compete in a state-wide art show in April.