W&M student takes a chance, wins Charter Day Art Contest
William & Mary sophomore Moey Fox has learned that taking chances can be rewarding.
“I’ve been on kind of a ‘why not?’ kick lately,” said Fox, an English major who decided to enter the 2011 W&M Charter Day Student Art Contest on a whim.
“My art teacher, Nicole Santiago, mentioned the contest in class,” said Fox. “I had some free time – so I figured I didn’t have anything to lose.”
And she was right.
Fox’s two-dimensional charcoal drawing of the Crim Dell, one of the most photographed and romantic spots on campus, was selected as this year’s winner of the annual contest. Her artwork will be featured on Charter Day invitations, banners and the event program, and will also be displayed in the President’s Collection of Art.
William & Mary students were invited to submit two-dimensional artwork that demonstrates a connection to the College for the fourth annual Charter Day juried art show. Artwork was judged by a jury composed of members from the student body, along with representatives from the faculty and staff.
Fox, who is minoring in Literary and Cultural Studies, said she was originally inspired to create a painting of the Sunken Gardens. But after a few hours of work, the painting was not the artist masterpiece she had initially envisioned.
So she decided to walk around the historic William & Mary campus to gain inspiration, capturing photographs of the Wren Building, the Crim Dell and a few of her other favorite spots.
“I went through some pictures I had from last fall and decided that the simplicity of the Crim Dell would look really good – and I’ve always been a fan of black and white drawings,” said Fox.
Using pieces from a few different photographs, and from life, Fox eloquently showcases the hard structure of the Crim Dell through the haziness of the leafy background. Commemorative pins featuring Fox’s artwork of the Crim Dell will be given to students who attend Charter Day. Seniors can proudly display their pins during graduation while freshmen have the opportunity to collect four years of Charter Day memories.
Assistant Professor of Art Nicole Santiago, who specializes in painting and drawing, said she has gradually seen improvement in her pupil’s artistic ability and techniques.
“Moey’s drawing skills have greatly improved over the past year,” said Santiago. “Her hard work has paid off. I'm very happy for her success and thrilled that she is the student winner of the competition.”
While Fox admits that she’s never really won any type of contest before, the best part about her recent accolade is that it’s made her more confident in her art.
“More than anything, I’ve learned that taking chances can be rewarding,” she said.
