Schumacher's work earns top prize at ESU8 art show

The purple ribbon atop the pencil drawing of a famous icon says it all: Best of Show.

Caydence Schumacher, a sophomore at Summerland Public Schools, submitted a pencil drawing of Marilyn Monroe to the ESU 8 Art Show, held April 5 to 7 at the Antelope County Fairgrounds in Neligh. Judges awarded it the top prize.

Schumacher said when she's decided what to draw, she sometimes has an individual in mind or she'll search for famous people she's a fan of.

"I decided to do Marilyn Monroe because she is a very iconic woman and I figured that a lot of people would like it since she is so well known.

The entire drawing was done with different types of pencils to create different shading and values.

Summerland art instructor Shannon Schumacher called the drawing "a really strong piece."

"She tried to create some different texture and value. Smooth on the face with her tortillon, and tissues," he said.

A tortillon is a cylindrical drawing tool tapered at the end, usually constructed of rolled paper. It creates smudge or blend marks.Monroe's shirt has a different texture, created by using more of the side of the pencil and leaving it rough.

The hair took the longest.

Caydence said, “One of the most difficult parts was figuring out how to draw her blonde hair since I’d never done that before.”

"She used the tip of her pencil a lot and erased back in all the highlights," the art teacher said.

According to Caydence, she learned a new technique.

“I put down a base and then went back over it and used a small eraser to put in all of the blonde strands,” she said.

Her art teacher said the project looks realistic.

“She was able to accomplish the goals that she set for it,” Shannon said.

The school's art department submitted between 50 and 60 high school projects in a variety of mediums.

ESU 8 professional development coordinator Stephanie Lundgren said approximately 1,800 pieces were displayed at the show.

Eighteen K-8 schools submitted pieces.

"They're allowed 20% of the enrollment of grades from which work was submitted," she said.

Generally, Lundgren recruits retired art teachers or individuals who have a great knowledge of art to judge the contest.

“We have had artists from the area, people with art degrees and staff from the Norfolk Art Center,” she said.

This year’s judges were from Norfolk and Albion.