Senior Katie Biggs recently received the Silver Key Scholastic Award. The Silver Key Award is a distinguished honor given to work demonstrating achievement at the regional level. Works that receive this are considered a high honor. Biggs was awarded two of these, one for her portfolio, and one for her ceramic work. Although she received this award as a senior, the portfolio and her clay work was constructed throughout her high school career.
Katie Biggs submitted 6 pieces. Her first piece was made her sophomore year, titled Botanical Scratch board, which is a bird’s-eye view of a rose on scratch board. Next, she made a mixed media relief sculpture, titled Homage to Monet, this was a paper mache piece assigned her junior year based off of a Claude Monet painting. We got her input on the pieces and an inside look of her inspiration.
How many pieces did you submit?
“Six.”
What media was each piece you made?
“The first one was scratch board which is a white clay board with black ink on top and the more you scratch off it shows more this one was titled botanical scratch board, the next one was mixed media/paper mache and I made a Monet sculpture or a inspiration of Monet, a watercolor, I kind of just threw paint on it and moved it around with a bunch of water and saw what it formed and went with it that one is called wind and water, the red clay ceramic plate won a silver key on top of the portfolio so I had two silver keys, and lastly I photographed a willow tree which was in downtown Cleveland and I really love willow trees so I decided to take a photo of it, another picture I took was at a botanical garden in Buffalo New York.”
Which one was your favorite?
“My favorite was probably the scratch board of the rose I did, It took a lot of time and effort which took about two months.”
How long did it take you to prepare them, which was the easiest, which was the hardest?
Each piece was made throughout all art classes in high school, “Scratch board was the hardest for sure, easiest was wind and water because it was an outside of school project done in my own time, just a matter of moving water around and it was very open for creativity”
The overall theme of your portfolio seemed nature based, why does that hold such significance?
“Ever since I was a little kid I’ve always done things with nature, I’ve always been connected with it. My parents always took my brother and I to places like hocking hills and we were always outside, so I’ve always been drawn to it. It was just really easy for me to do it.”
Are you looking to continue your art career at a collegiate level?
She plans on going to Miami, Ohio for interior design.
Biggs is obviously a successful art student and also participates in track and field for Poland where she excels at shot put and discus and plans to continue her education at Miami of Ohio.
