BRODHEAD — Youth Art Month is celebrated in March, and the Brodhead School District has a lot to celebrate.
Brielle Engen, a talented freshman artist at Brodhead High School, was recently honored with the Scholastic Gold Key award for her drawing she submitted in December.
The Scholastic Art Awards is something that has taken place for over 100 years. It is a program that acknowledges the hard work and talents of young artists throughout the United States.
Last year, Brielle submitted a drawing while in 8th grade, titled ‘Memories of Maggie’. It was a photo-realistic drawing of her uncle’s dog. She was the recipient of the Silver Key award last year and was acknowledged at the Milwaukee Art Museum.
Her middle school art teacher, Erica Foulker, said the Silver Key award is a great honor to receive such an award in the state of Wisconsin.
This year, Brielle submitted a piece titled ‘A Brother’s Love’. It is a very detailed graphite piece that depicts her brother Josiah holding her when she was a baby.
“We were looking through baby pictures and once I saw it I knew I had to draw it,” Brielle said. “I love the childlike love that Siah has in his expression.”
She also added that she has always wanted to experiment with portraits.
For her new Scholastic Gold Key award, she will be recognized on stage at the Milwaukee Art Museum on March 2. Gold Key recipients will not only be recognized at the state level, but her piece will move on to the national level competition. Her art will be hung in a Carnegie Hall in New York City among other talented artists across the country this summer.
Foulker said she told Brielle last year that, “I have no doubt that your artwork will be hung in New York City some day.”
Low and behold, a year later, it is a reality.
“Brielle will do great things with her talent. What an honor to watch her continue to create, and be acknowledged for her talent and hard work.” Foulker said. “I wouldn’t want to miss it.”
The 2024 Scholastic Art Awards: Wisconsin Exhibition features hundreds of artworks juried by regional arts professionals, including artists, university faculty, and gallerists. The jury selects award-winning pieces from 16 categories: Architecture and Industrial Design, Ceramics and Glass, Comic Art, Design, Digital Art, Drawing and Illustration, Editorial Cartoon, Expanded Projects, Fashion, Film and Animation, Jewelry, Mixed Media, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, and Sculpture.
Brielle will have her piece hung at the Milwaukee Art Museum from Feb. 24 to April 7. In 9th grade, there were 105 winners overall in the state of Wisconsin — 51 honorable mentions, 33 Silver Key, and 22 Gold Key award winners.
