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Traveling Exhibition to Bring Work from Nation’s Brightest Young Artists, Writers to KCAD

Kendall College of Art and DesignGRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Work from some of the most talented young artists and writers in America is at Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University this fall. The Art.Write.Now.Tour, a traveling exhibition showcasing inspiring and innovative works from national winners in the 2016 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, will be on display in the Helen Miller Kendall Gallery on the first floor of KCAD’s 17 Fountain St. NW building through Oct. 14.

Recognized as the nation’s preeminent and longest-running scholarship and recognition program for students in grades 7-12, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards spotlights outstanding original work in a number of different creative mediums, including writing, drawing, illustration, sculpture, and photography, among others. Works were first adjudicated regionally, then again on the national level by leading creative professionals. KCAD has played host to the Awards’ West Central Michigan region for a number of years, with support from Howard Miller.

Now in its seventh year, the Art.Write.Now.Tour is celebrated as the most modern and relevant expression of creative work by today’s young artists and writers. Curated, produced, and presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the Tour showcases a selection of inspiring and innovative works submitted to the 2016 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards by teens from across the country. Approximately 50 visual art works selected from the Art.Write.Now. 2016 National Exhibition which took place in New York City at Parsons School of Design and the Pratt Institute this past June will be on display, as well as The Best Teen Writing of 2016, an annual anthology of selected Gold Medal writing, which will be displayed in the exhibition on iPads.

“This selection of teen work is truly remarkable,” said Virginia McEnerney, Executive Director of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. “The visual art and the written pieces delve into themes ranging from the most intimate of human emotions to the current political climate. It’s a privilege to glance into the minds of some of our country’s most talented teens and an honor to have their work on display nationwide in our traveling Tour and in the DC exhibit.”

The traveling exhibition will feature the work of three students from Michigan: Shira Karni of Grandville, from the West Central Michigan region; Scott Hanna of Beverly Hills; and Abe Cone of Chelsea.

“We’re excited to showcase this amazing and diverse group of young artists and writers from around the country right here in the vibrant creative community of West Michigan,” said KCAD Director of Exhibitions Sarah Joseph. “This is a great opportunity for KCAD and the rest of the West Central Michigan region to build on our longstanding relationship with the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and we hope it will serve as an inspiration for students in our region to keep pursuing their creative passion.”

For more information on the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, visit artandwriting.org.

Submitted by Kendall College of Art and Design