This year marks an exciting change for student artists in our community with the launch of ARTiFAX, a new exhibition replacing the long-standing Scholastic Art show. For its first year, ARTiFAX invited art teachers from local schools to select twelve exceptional pieces from their students. These works were then sent to the county for professional judging, giving young artists a fresh platform to showcase their creativity and talent. The exhibition will be on display from Feb. 12 to March 12 at the Ernst Cultural Center at Northern Virginia Community College, with an award ceremony having occurred on Feb. 25.

As part of the new format, students who chose to apply to the exhibition, also had the option to submit a portfolio of six pieces, which automatically advanced to the county level for judging. This provided an additional chance for young artists to gain recognition beyond their school selections.

Nine students from AHS had their work included in the installation: freshmen Kai Rumpf; sophomores Diego Gomez and Margaret Moreland; juniors Alice Banks, Ellanor Lee, Renna Charles, and Mikayla Nguyen; and seniors Cody Calvin and Kaylee Hunter.

“I can’t wait to see the exhibition and celebrate our amazing artists. I am so proud of ALL of them who submitted work,” art teacher Carmen Lucas said

Photography teacher Erin Mahoney,  whose students were also featured, shared the sentiment: “I loved being able to tell kids that their artwork is being viewed as the best of the best in Fairfax County. Everyone involved who took the time to submit should be proud.” 

Nguyen’s creative process offers a vivid example of the emotional depth behind many of the pieces. Working with ceramic clay, Nguyen shaped and reshaped her sculpture to express complex feelings of sorrow and anxiety. 

“Clay can become very fragile, prone to cracks, and stale as it’s dehydrated without water for too long,” Nguyen said. “I wanted to connect this to the title of my work, Lady Lachrymose—lachrymose meaning tearful or weepy. The longer you leave yourself without tears, the more sorrow builds up, eventually causing you to crack in some way, whether through anger or sadness.”

Nguyen carefully designed the sculpture’s details to reflect this theme. She described the hair as “an array of swirls and loops to demonstrate a flow of not just tears, but the mind as it spirals in thought.”

Other students, like Banks, also used their work to create a meaningful message. “I animated my piece, so I used all 12 principles of animation! The story behind my work is to reflect the struggles of addiction and harmful coping mechanics, and how important care and support are for people who need help,” Banks said.

Time management played an important role in the successful completion of the project for many artists, especially when working with materials like clay that require precise timing for drying and firing. The pressure of balancing this project with other responsibilities led to imperfections in the works of some artists but also taught them valuable lessons about perseverance and planning.

Other students found inspiration online, scrolling through Instagram photography accounts and experimenting with angles, lighting, and poses to bring their ideas to life.

“I see photography accounts with really stunning work and it inspires me to go out and take photos and play around with what I captured to make something new,” Calvin said.

The exhibition offered students a chance to have their work professionally judged, giving them insight into how art is evaluated beyond the classroom. This opportunity helps build confidence and encourages young artists to continue developing their skills.

For Lee, her project was a point of pride. The details and time to make them on the castle were a feat of achievement. Her piece was a travel poster using different reference pictures on Adobe Illustrator. The poster was of Gyeongbokgung Palace in South Korea. “I wanted to show people a new place that they had never heard of,” Lee said.

ARTiFAX is more than just an exhibition. It is a reminder of how important creativity is in our schools and community. As this first show comes to a close, everyone is already excited for next year, hoping to see even more amazing art that shows the power of young voices shaping the future. This new event promises to be an inspiring celebration of student art and a meaningful opportunity to connect with the wider community.