Sadie Godfrey's paintings of birds perched on a wire and a deer in a forest brought her the Hazen Family Foundation Best of Show Scholarship. (Courtesy photo)
Sadie Godfrey's paintings brought her the Hazen Family Foundation Best of Show Scholarship. (Courtesy photo)

The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara honored a dozen student artists during a reception and exhibition at the California Nature Art Museum in Solvang on Feb. 13.

The 12 seniors at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School had taken part in the foundation’s inaugural Santa Ynez Valley Art Scholarship Competition at the school on Jan. 30.

Selected as winners were Sadie Godfrey (Hazen Family Foundation Best of Show Scholarship); Brayden Mlodzik (Carver Family Art Scholarship); Malia Ortiz (Children’s Creative Project Art Scholarship); Natalie O’Shaughnessy (McIntyre Art Scholarship); and Ilan Torres (Hazen Family Foundation Art Scholarship).

Natalie O’Shaughnessy received the McIntyre Art Scholarship for her artwork of goldfish swimming in a pond. (Courtesy photo)
Natalie O’Shaughnessy received the McIntyre Art Scholarship for her artwork. (Courtesy photo)

Each of the five winners will receive a college scholarship in the amount of $3,000 or $3,500.

Art submissions from all participating students will be exhibited at the museum through March 9.

“We could not be more pleased with the turnout for this reception – despite the threat of rain – or the extraordinary hospitality shown us by the staff at the California Nature Art Museum,” said Melinda Cabrera, president/CEO of the Scholarship Foundation.

“I sense that there is a real hunger for an art scholarship program in this part of the county, and we look forward to building on this early success with help from members of the community and our partners at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School,” Cabrera said.

The Scholarship Foundation invited seniors at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School to submit a portfolio of original work for its art competition on Jan. 30.

A panel of local artists judged the submissions. Serving as judges were Renée Kelleher, Karen McLean-McGaw, and Ginny Speirs.

The new art scholarship competition is an expansion of an existing Scholarship Foundation program that has served South County high school seniors for 46 years.
 
“The first year of the Santa Ynez Valley Art Scholarship Competition was an incredible success, showcasing the immense talent and creativity of our students,” said Santa Ynez Valley Union High School Assistant Principal Tori Martinez.

“We are thrilled to have provided this opportunity to support young artists in their educational journeys, and we can’t wait to see the program grow in the years ahead. This is just the beginning of something truly special for our community,” Martinez said.

For more information, visit www.sbscholarship.org.