Senior wins Charter Day art contest

by Alexandra Bracken ('09) | February 6, 2009

The weather vane that sits on top of the Wren building is a familiar sight to anyone who has walked around William & Mary's campus. Andrew Paulette ('09), a studio art major with a minor in psychology, looked up at the familiar landmark and saw something a little different.

His watercolor painting of the weather vane backed by the sky won the second annual Charter Day Art Contest. His piece of art will be featured on the cover of every Charter Day program that gets distributed this weekend.

"The requirement for an odd perspective prompted me to compose the piece around the weather vane on the top of the Wren building, with the founding date as a reminder of the tradition of academics for which William and Mary is so well known," he said.

Submissions for the contest required the artwork to be two-dimensional and depict the College campus, with preference for drawings or paintings that featured a recognizable College scene from an unusual or unexpected perspective. The entries were judged by a jury composed of members of the Department of Art and Art History, the Muscarelle Museum, the Office of Publications and the Office of the President.
Besides being featured on the 2009 Charter Day program, Paulette’s original artwork will be purchased by the President’s Art Collection.