Student painting takes first in Columbia-Greene Community College Juried Art Show
Red Hook Central School District
Nobody tell Ava Hubner’s uncle, but he’s the inspiration for a piece of artwork that recently won a prestigious award.
“He doesn’t know,” the Red Hook High School senior said. “Maybe one day I’ll tell him.”
Hubner’s painting, “Kosher by Convenience” took first prize at the annual Columbia-Greene Community College Juried Art Show, which included the work of artists from 12 area high schools. Hubner and fellow senior Chai Cunningham were the two seniors selected by Red Hook’s art teachers to represent the school at the show, which ran Feb. 26-March 2.
“The technical skills the students showed in their pieces were exemplary. The compositions strategies they used to create a sound composition were off the charts,” Art Department Chair Julia Shultis said of how Hubner and Cunningham’s pieces were selected. “They put in a lot of time and effort but, visually, they just are very appealing to the eye.
“We’re very, very honored to have them representing our school and it’s exciting to have other school districts to see what’s coming out of Red Hook High School and to see what other school districts are doing, too.”
Hubner’s piece depicts two blue crabs next to Old Bay seasoning, in front of Manischewitz wine and matzo ball mix, two notably kosher foods.
As part of her family is both Jewish and from Baltimore, the blue crabs represent a contradiction.
“In Baltimore, Maryland a really big thing is blue crabs,” Hubner said. “However, they’re not kosher. My uncle was always very strict about keeping kosher. Whenever we went out for blue crabs, he would order blue crabs anyway. You can’t not get blue crabs.
“We would say ‘What are you doing? We thought you were keeping kosher?’ He said, ‘No, only Kosher in the house.’”
Hubner said she wanted her piece to represent how “people kind of change tradition and religion and culture to adapt to their lifestyle and for convenience. I think a lot of people, regardless of their culture or religion, can relate to that.”
Cunningham described her painting as “normal Buddhist storytelling.” Half the face depicted represents the Buddha, while the other half is Mara “the demon, who represents anger and attachment, tempting the Buddha from reaching enlightenment,” represented by a lotus at the bottom of the image.
“Buddha is blue, so it’s more calm, and the demon is red, which is a more chaotic type of feeling,” she said, noting she wouldn’t say she’s a Buddhist, but “but I do like the morals and the story that goes along with Buddhism.”
Shultis called their work “a culmination” of years of work and instruction from many art teachers to build skills and artistic principles.
“It’s an exciting time for all of us, because we’ve all helped contribute,” Shultis said of the district’s art teachers, “but the students are the ones who decided to but that effort into it through the years.”
Maggie Dimock, associate curator for The Olana Partnership at the Olana state historic site, served as judge. “To have someone who is that knowledgeable about artwork and composition, it’s really quite an honor to have them select Ava as the winner,” Shultis said.
For Hubner, it was the second time “Kosher by Convenience” was on display. She also included the piece in a collection she presented in December and January at the Trolley Barn in Poughkeepsie through The Art Effect’s Senior Project Course.
“I think it’s nice to have something used,” Hubner said. “I think a lot of artists can probably relate to that feeling that you make a lot of things and it sits in a closet and nobody sees them. Now that this piece has been in two shows it just feels good that it’s not sitting in my closet. Like, it’s made for a purpose.”
And, the painting isn’t going to be hidden away anytime soon.
“They asked if they could keep my piece afterward to put in the college’s president’s office,” Hubner said. “I said I need it for IB, but I’ll give it back to them at some point.”