I was honored to be asked by Gary Schneider, Director of Education, of the Montclair Art Museum to jury the photography entries for the 2010 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Together with photographer and gallerist Andy Foster of Montclair’s Gallery 51 and photographer Claire Rosen, we reviewed the photography entries and selected gold, silver and honorable mention categories of high school photographers from northern New Jersey.

“The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards began as a small writing contest with a $5 prize and 6 winning applicants in 1923. Today, more than 75,000 students from across the nations participate annually. Over the last eight decades, the awards have encouraged more than 15 million students, recognized over 9 million young artists and writers, and made available $25 million in awards and scholarships. They continue to be the nation’s longest running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teenagers, and the largest source of scholarships for talented young artists and writers.”

Past award winners include: Frances Farmer, Harry Bertoia, Truman Capote, Bernard Malamud, Richard Avedon, Philip Pearlstein, Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Kay Walkingstick, John Baldessari, Cy Twombly, Stan Brakhage, Red Grooms, Robert Redford, Joyce Carol Oates, Luis Jiminez, Mel Bochner, Arnold Hurley, John Lithgow, Donald Lipski, Joyce Maynard, Carolyn Fourché, Gary Panter, David Salle, Tom Otterness, Thane Rosenbaum, John Currin, Ned Vizzini, and Zac Posen.

The work was quite astounding, some very sophisticated young photographers are competing for exhibition opportunities and cash awards. We sent off to the nationals a group of talented photographic artists and wish them luck at the next level of competition.