Newtown High School is represented in the Connecticut Regional Scholastic Art Awards show by three students who completed four works of art chosen as 2020 Scholastic Art Awards Winners.

The Connecticut Regional Scholastic Art Awards selections are on view at the Hartford Art School at the University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, through January 31. An Annual Art Awards Ceremony will be held on January 26 at Lincoln Theater, and the winning entrees were recently announced.

NHS junior Alyssa Bailey earned a Silver Key award for her ceramic piece called “Blu,” senior Kaitlyn Klees earned a Silver Key award for her ceramic piece “Spirals,” and senior Moira McKinley earned two honorable mentions for her art pieces “The Red Jumper” and “Bottles.”

Alyssa said “Blu” was inspired by her family’s tabby cat named Pumpkin.

“I used his shape... to make it,” said Alyssa, adding that she wants a Siamese cat, so she made “Blu” to look like a Siamese cat.

Alyssa said “Blu” took her three weeks after an initial trial. She worked both in class and outside of class time to create it. Last year, Alyssa earned First Place for a ceramic piece in Teen Visions, Connecticut’s 2019 High School Art Exhibition, held at the Art & Design Gallery at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield.

Moira shared that her watercolor piece, which depicts glass bottles sitting on a shelf in front of a sunny window, was created while she was trying to become better at working with watercolor paint. Her other piece, a charcoal and pastel self-portrait, was created for “an unusual angle” project. Moira earned a Gold Key award last year for an oil painting that was selected for the Connecticut Regional Scholastic Art Awards.

Moira said she was thrilled her watercolor piece earned recognition from the Connecticut Regional Scholastic Art Awards this year.

Kaitlyn’s ceramic piece was created for an “abstract teapot” class project.

“I made it very different with different textures and colors,” Kaitlyn said of her light orange and light blue/green creation.

Kaitlyn said she is excited to be included in the Connecticut Regional Scholastic Art Awards as it is her first time in the awards exhibit.

“I’m just proud that I got into Scholastic in general,” Kaitlyn said.

NHS art teacher Carol Pelligra said the three students “are very talented” and she called them “a wonderful bunch of kids.”

A full list of all of the winners in the Connecticut Regional Scholastic Art Awards is available online at ctartawards.net .