Congratulations to our students who were nominated as 2021 Orange County Register Artist of the Year!
Computer-Assisted Visual Arts
PHOTOGRAPHY (FILM AND DIGITAL)
Sarah Aguilar
“This girl is multifaceted because she’s ruthlessly in her pursuit of a brighter future. In projects given through class, Sarah is the student who thinks big and follows through. When you discuss her art with her, you can hear her passion as she describes her workflow and thought process behind it. She loves to explore the girly side of life and what it means to navigate the world as a female in 2020.” — Daniel Meza, Orange High School
Kera Hammour
“As a second-year photography student, Kera has shown the ability to look within and bare her true self. Although this is an incredibly difficult task for her, she uses her art to express herself. This is especially important during the pandemic as students seek refuge from the harsh realities of distance learning and a lack of school resources.” — Daniel Meza, Orange High School
Naomi Constance McLeary
“One of the things I love most is that she has spent so much time beyond the boundary of the classroom to work on her craft, and it has been my pleasure to be her teacher this year. Several photo shoots were completed where Naomi honed her craft, learning tricky studio lighting, and all while being a virtual learner. She takes the time to come in after school and learn the technical skills needed to improve her already stunning photography.” — Ingred Shine, Villa Park High School
See artist’s website
Emma Wagner
“Emma is pure magic behind the camera. Her ability to capture light and the subtle nuances in black and white photographs is not only beyond amazing but incredibly timeless. The first time I saw her work, I was stunned. She had experience beyond a year one student and most of her skills were natural and self-taught. Her work exists on its own and without artifice.” — Ingred Shine, Villa Park High School
See artist’s website
COMPUTER DRAWING AND PAINTING
Daisy Zahory Fernandez-Reyes
“Daisy creates art because she enjoys the storytelling aspect of it and loves seeing other people enjoy it… Even amidst the uncertainty and chaos of the Covid-19 pandemic, she still not only faithfully submitted assignments online and continued on with her work to successfully complete a passing portfolio via the College Board, but also finished out the Vans Custom Culture competition on her own time, and collaborated and communicated with the other students in that group.” — Deborah Jollineau, Orange High School
Dance
COMMERCIAL DANCE
Lauren Beamer
“Watching Lauren perform always brings warmth to my heart and sometimes even tears to my eyes. Although she is not a student that has spent countless hours in a studio, her deduction within her movement certainly makes up for it. What is artistry if not someone’s emotions radiating out and impacting the people around them.” — Hector Brambila, Canyon High School
Elizabeth Raburn
“Her dancing is full of sassy facial expressions and spectacular leg extension. She brings creativity with her choreography and always presents pieces for our concerts. She is a well-rounded dancer, student, and artist.” — Claire Zabaneh, El Modena High School
See video
Sydney S. Robinson
“She is well trained in Cecchetti ballet, which requires a high level of technique as well as artistry in all forms of dance. Her height and beautiful extension allow her to use space with ease and grace. As a choreographer, she has amazing creativity in her composition work. She is also an excellent student in learning the history of dance and appreciates the contributions of dancers, choreographers, and companies who have advanced the art form of dance.” — Claire Zabaneh, El Modena High School
See video
Film/Animation
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Henry James Mull
“Where Henry shines is filming sports! He specializes in cinematography and editing to showcase our Vanguard athletes. As lead cinematographer for Vanguard Football, Henry filmed not only the games themselves, but he produced weekly inspirational hype videos for the team. These superb energetic videos signaled game day for our community!” — Vicki Mull, El Modena High School
DIRECTING/EDITING
Ryan Robinson
“Ryan’s films range in content from hilarious dark comedies to inspirational films, sentimental animated shorts, and PSAs that encourage young adults to get help for mental health needs. His work exudes his attention to detail — you’ll hear intricate sound design work if you listen closely and you’ll be able to recognize how he shifts the emotional content of his work through color-grading.” — Alex Graham, Canyon High School
Zach Shenouda
“Zach Shenouda is one of the rare filmmakers that we are lucky to have as teachers who really loves and understands every single aspect of filmmaking from the screenplay to the sound design. A lot of students naturally fall in love with only one part of the process or only have a real passion for one piece of the equation, but he loves it all and knows that a great film is the sum of all these parts.” — Alex Graham, Canyon High School
Vocal Music
COMMERCIAL VOICE
Megan Beehler
“I have had the privilege of watching Megan grow as a singer, well-rounded musician, and overall person for four years. She has been dedicated to developing her innate talents in music and has been a member of five choirs. She is also an outstanding songwriter. Megan has always received opportunities with no sense of entitlement.” — Ariel May, Canyon High School
See video
Handcrafted Visual Arts
HAND DRAWING AND PAINTING
Luna Blanchard
“Luna Blanchard is a dedicated and patient artist. Her inspiration comes from architectural design. She looks into elements of things that inspire her. Her artistry revolves around what she sees within her environment. Her admiration of different cultures helped envision her travels.” — Alberto Yap, Villa Park High School
See artist’s website
Aubrey McGrew
“Aubrey is one of those fantastic students that all teachers hope to get. She listens to direction and implements them perfectly. Aubrey is such a kind and humble star at our school. She quietly goes about her day and shines brightly on all of her endeavors.” — Andrew Edlund, Villa Park High School
See artist’s website
Check out the entire list at
https://www.ocregister.com/2021/03/21/artist-of-the-year-2021-computer-assisted-visual-arts-nominees/
