Carmen Herrera painted for over seven decades, receiving recognition for her elegant, hard-edge style late in life. Having developed her signature style in the late 1940s, her work connects to artists such as Piet Mondrian, Ellsworth Kelly, as well as the Neo-concrete work of artists like Lygia Clark and Hélio Oiticica, who flourished in Brazil after World War II. She made large-scale paintings, drawings, sculpture, and much later in life, began making murals modeled after her paintings, many of which have never been executed. Based on her painting La Fonteyn (2015), Untitled (2021) is realized here for the first time.

Born in Cuba, Carmen Herrera moved to New York City in 1954, where she lived until her death at the age of 106. From 1948 to 1954, Herrera lived in Paris and exhibited at the Salon des Réalités Nouvelles, alongside artists such as Sonia Delaunay and Jean Arp, all of whom focused on abstraction. In New York, her work was displayed at the Alternative Museum in the East Village and El Museo del Barrio in East Harlem. The twenty-first century brought her increased recognition, and in 2016 (at the age of 101), the Whitney Museum of American Art opened her career retrospective solidifying her groundbreaking contribution to geometric abstraction.

SPONSOR
Marietta Wu and Tom Yamamoto

Using fruit as a method of exploring the familiar, the artist duo Fallen Fruit investigates interstitial urban spaces, bodies of knowledge, and forms of civic participation and collaboration. They began by creating maps for what the artists called “public fruit,” or fruit trees growing on public property in Los Angeles. They have expanded their project into an ongoing exploration of the boundaries of public and private spaces while using fruit as both a material object and conceptual framework. Their projects take on many fruit-inspired forms, ranging from the public adoption of trees, the creation of public edible gardens, zines, performances, as well as large-scale immersive installations that examine the history of a given site or collection.

The collective unveils a new commission for the Museum’s Grand Hall, with an immersive installation that spans wallpaper and curtains. Using the flora and fauna specific to Reno, The Power of Pollinators (And Other Living Things) (2024) assumes larger than life proportions inside the Museum walls. The interior motifs are a continuation of the garden outside—fruit, berries, trees, flowers, and pollinators—that appear in Monument to Sharing, in the Linda and Alvaro Pascotto Sculpture Garden. Both works offer a unique public ‘welcome,’ and invite visitors to explore ideas of generosity, agricultural production, and the importance of cultivating community.

Fallen Fruit was originally conceived in 2004 by Matias Viegener, Burns and Young. Since 2013, Burns and Young have continued the collaborative work.

Since 1999, Northern Nevada middle and high school students have been invited to submit their artwork to the Scholastic Art Awards competition. The Museum’s annual presentation of the Scholastic Awards is scheduled in conjunction with the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, a national program designed to identify America’s most gifted young artists and writers. This program has honored some of our nation’s most celebrated artists including Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, Michael Sarich, Cindy Sherman, Robert Redford, and Andy Warhol.

Students in grades 7-12 (age 13 and up) submit their art which is then judged by a panel of local artists and art professionals. Artworks are eligible for the highest award of Gold Key, followed by a Silver Key, or an Honorable Mention based on originality, technical skill, and an emergence of a personal vision. Along with going on to compete in the national competition, select works will be shown in a joint exhibition presented by the Nevada Museum of Art and The Lilley Museum of Art, the School of the Arts, and the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Nevada, Reno.

2023 Award Recipients

Gold Key Works
On view at Sheppard Contemporary | Church Fine Arts, University of Nevada, Reno
Gallery Hours: Thursday – Saturday, 3 – 6 pm
Parking is available at the Brian J. Whalen Parking Complex, bottom floor.

American Visions Nominated Works
On view at Nevada Museum of Art / Donald W. Reynolds Grand Hall

Award Ceremony
Nightingale Concert Hall | Church Fine Arts, University of Nevada, Reno
Thursday, February 16, 2023 / 6 – 7 pm

We invite Gold and Silver Key award recipients to be honored during this special ceremony. All invited guests are encouraged to register for the Award Ceremony by February 8, 2023 to attend.

Sponsors
City of Reno Arts & Culture Commission
The Hearst Foundations
Nell J. Redfield Foundation
Heidimarie Rochlin
RBC Wealth Management
Wild Women Artists

Since 1999, Northern Nevada middle and high school students have been invited to submit their artwork to the Scholastic Art Awards competition. The Museum’s annual presentation of the Scholastic Awards is scheduled in conjunction with the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, a national program designed to identify America’s most gifted young artists and writers. This program has honored some of our nation’s most celebrated artists including Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, Michael Sarich, Cindy Sherman, Robert Redford, and Andy Warhol.

Students in grades 7-12 (age 13 and up) submit their art which is then judged by a panel of local artists and art professionals. Artworks are eligible for the highest award of Gold Key, followed by a Silver Key, or an Honorable Mention based on originality, technical skill, and an emergence of a personal vision. Along with going on to compete in the national competition, select works will be shown in a joint exhibition presented by the Nevada Museum of Art and The Lilley Museum of Art, the School of the Arts, and the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Nevada, Reno.

2022 Award Recipients

Gold Key Works
On view at Sheppard Contemporary / Church Fine Arts building, University of Nevada, Reno

Parking is available at the Brian J. Whalen Parking Complex, bottom floor.

American Visions Nominated Works
On view at Nevada Museum of Art / Donald W. Reynolds Grand Hall

Award Ceremony
Nightingale Concert Hall / Church Fine Arts building, University of Nevada, Reno
Thursday, February 10, 2022 / 6 – 7 pm

We invite Gold and Silver Key award recipients to be honored during this special ceremony. All invited guests are required to RSVP to Jacque Dawson by February 1, 2022 to attend. Due to limited space, Gold and Silver Key award-winning students may RSVP with up to two guests and educators may bring one guest.

Sponsors
Anonymous
City of Reno Arts & Culture Commission
Nell J. Redfield Foundation
Wild Women Artists

Inspired by abstract geometric paintings, fiber art, stained glass windows, fashion design, and the colors and contour lines of the natural landscape, Rachel Hayes has created fiber-art installations that cover sand dunes, cross rivers, and billow over mountains. For this unique project, Hayes was commissioned by the Nevada Museum of Art to design a new site-specific installation for the Donald W. Reynolds Grand Hall.  “My thoughts were to create a color field installation that would cascade, billow, and flow…using a grouping of colors inspired by sunset in the Nevada sky,” she said.

Rachel Hayes was born in Kansas City, Missouri and lives and works in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She received her B.F.A. in Fiber from the Kansas City Art Institute, and her M.F.A. in Painting from Virginia Commonwealth University. In 2018, Hayes collaborated with the Italian fashion house Missoni, which culminated in a solo exhibition for Milan Design Week, as well as a site-specific installation at the flagship Missoni boutique on Madison Avenue in New York. She has exhibited her work at institutions including the SculptureCenter in New York City; Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, NY; the Taubman Museum of Art, Roanoke, VA; and the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site, Cornish, NH.  Recently, she completed a site-specific installation with Istanbul’74 during the 16th Contemporary Istanbul, Turkey.

Major Sponsors

Eleanor and Robert Preger
Six Talents Foundation

Sponsors

Maureen Mullarkey and Steve Miller
Friends of the Nevada Museum of Art
Whittier Trust

Reko Rennie (Gamilaroi/Gamilaraay people) was born in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia, where he lives today. Rennie explores his Aboriginal identity through a broad array of media, including spray paint, prints, sculpture, paste-ups, light projections and site-specific installations. Through his art he provokes discussion surrounding Indigenous culture and identity in contemporary urban environments. Largely autobiographical, his commanding works combine the iconography of his heritage with stylistic elements of graffiti.

Merging traditional diamond-shaped designs, hand-drawn symbols and repetitive patterning to subvert romantic notions of Aboriginal identity, Rennie often uses camouflage patterns to reference the ways in which Aboriginal people have had to hide, blend in, and conceal their identity.

In Australia, Always Was Always Will Be is a familiar and important protest chant, often used by Aboriginal people in demonstrations. The phrase adapted by Rennie as the title of this site-specific mural serves as a reminder that Australia was, and always will be, Aboriginal land. Says the artist, “It’s an important reminder, and also an acknowledgment to the communities of the Washoe, Paiute, and Western Shoshone, who call the Great Basin home.”

Reno-based mural artist Erik Burke assisted Rennie with the realization of Always Was Always Will Be.

Sponsors

Barbara and Tad Danz

Additional Support

Anonymous
Charlotte and Dick McConnell
Sylvia and Jim Thacker
Peggy Lowndes
Jean and Jerry Pfarr

Since 1999, Northern Nevada middle and high school students have been invited to submit their artwork to the Scholastic Art Awards competition. The Museum’s annual presentation of the Scholastic Art Awards is scheduled in conjunction with the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, a national program designed to identify America’s most gifted young artists and writers. This program has honored some of our nation’s most celebrated artists including Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, Michael Sarich, Cindy Sherman, Robert Redford and Andy Warhol.

Every year, students submit their art which is evaluated by a panel of judges made up of local artists and art professionals. Exceptional works are awarded Gold Key, Silver Key, or Honorable Mention. Gold Key artworks advance to compete in the national Scholastic Art Awards competition. Select Gold Key works were also shown in an exhibition at the Holland Project Gallery at 140 Vesta Street in Reno, February 22 through March 20, 2020. American Visions Nominees are displayed concurrently in the Donald W Reynolds Grand Hall at the Museum.

Please note that the American Visions artwork at the Museum will be on view for an extended time. This extension does not apply to the Gold Key exhibition at the Holland Project.

Submissions for the 2020 Scholastic Art Awards were due by December 12. Click here to learn more about the submission process.

Congratulations to the award winners for the Scholastic Art Awards 2020!

Sponsors

City of Reno Arts & Culture Commission
Nell J. Redfield Foundation
Heidemarie Rochlin

Supporting Sponsors

Wild Women Artists

Since 1999, Northern Nevada middle and high school students have been invited to submit their artwork to the Scholastic Art Awards competition. The Museum’s annual presentation of the Scholastic Art Awards is scheduled in conjunction with the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, a national program designed to identify America’s most gifted young artists and writers. This program has honored some of our nation’s most celebrated artists including Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, Michael Sarich, Cindy Sherman, Robert Redford and Andy Warhol.

This year 2,282 submissions were evaluated by a panel of judges made up of local artists and art professionals. Exceptional works were awarded Gold Key, Silver Key, or Honorable Mentions. Gold Key artwork advances to compete in the national Scholastic Art Awards competition. Select Gold Key works will be shown in an exhibition at the Holland Project Gallery at 140 Vesta Street in Reno February 22 through March 15, 2019. American Visions Nominees will be displayed concurrently in the Donald W Reynolds Grand Hall at the Museum.

2019 N. NV Awards

Sponsors

City of Reno Arts & Culture Commission
NV Energy
Nell J. Redfield Foundation

Supporting Sponsors

Wild Women Artists

EVENTS:

2019 Scholastic Art Awards Gold Key Exhibition Opening Reception at the Holland Project
Friday, February 22, 2019 / 6 – 8 pm

Join us in celebrating the Gold Key award-winning students of 2019 and the opening of their exhibition at the Holland Project gallery at 140 Vesta Street in Reno. FREE Admission

2019 Scholastic Art Awards Ceremony at the Nevada Museum of Art
Thursday, March 14, 2019 / 6 – 7:30 pm

We invite Gold and Silver Key award-winning students to be honored during this special ceremony at the Museum attended by family, teachers, friends, and members of the community.

All invited guests are required to RSVP to Jacque Dawson by March 1, 2019 to attend. Due to limited space, Gold and Silver Key award-winning students may RSVP with up to two guests and educators may bring one guest. FREE Admission

Since 1999, Northern Nevada middle and high school students have been invited to submit their artwork to the Scholastic Art Awards competition. The Museum’s annual presentation of the Scholastic Art Awards is scheduled in conjunction with the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, a national program designed to identify America’s most gifted young artists and writers. This program has honored some of our nation’s most celebrated artists including Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, Michael Sarich, Cindy Sherman, Robert Redford and Andy Warhol.

More than 2,200 submissions were evaluated by a panel of judges made up of local artists and art professionals. Exceptional works were awarded Gold Key, Silver Key or Honorable Mentions. Gold Key artwork goes on to compete in the national Scholastic Art Awards competition. Select award-winning regional entries will be exhibited in a month-long exhibition at the Holland Project Gallery at 140 Vesta Street in Reno. American Visions Nominees will be displayed in the Donald W Reynolds Grand Hall at the Museum.

2018 Awards: Northern Nevada Awards  |  National Awards

Sponsor

Bank of America and the Hearst Foundations

Additional support

City of Reno Arts & Culture Commission
The Nell J. Redfield Foundation
The Wild Women Artists

EVENTS

2018 Scholastic Art Awards Gold Key Exhibition Opening Reception

Friday February 2, 2018 / 6 – 8 pm

Join us in celebrating the Gold Key award-winning students of 2018 and the opening of their exhibition at the Holland Project gallery at 140 Vesta Street in Reno. FREE Admission

2018 Scholastic Art Awards Ceremony

Thursday February 8, 2018 / 6 – 7 pm

Please join us in honoring the winners of the Scholastic Art Awards 2018. All award winners are invited to this ceremony at the Museum attended by students, parents, teachers and members of the community. Due to limited space, award-winning students may bring up to two guests and educators may bring one guest. FREE Admission

Since 1999, Northern Nevada middle and high school students have been invited to submit their artwork to the Scholastic Art Awards competition. The Museum’s annual presentation of the Scholastic Art Awards is scheduled in conjunction with the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, a national program designed to identify America’s most gifted young artists and writers. This program has honored some of our nation’s most celebrated artists including Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, Michael Sarich, Cindy Sherman, Robert Redford and Andy Warhol.

More than 1,600 submissions were evaluated by a panel of judges made up of local artists and art professionals. Exceptional works were awarded Gold Key, Silver Key or Honorable Mentions. Gold Key artwork goes on to compete in the national Scholastic Art Awards competition. Select award-winning regional entries will exhibited in a month long exhibition at the Holland Project Gallery at 140 Vesta Street in Reno. American Visions Nominees will be displayed in the Donald W Reynolds Grand Hall at the Museum.

All award winners are invited to a ceremony at the Museum attended by over 400 students, parents, teachers and members of the community. National award winners have the opportunity to attend a ceremony in New York City.

2017 Scholastic Art Awards Announcement for Northern Nevada

Related Programs and Events:

2017 Scholastic Art Awards Gold Key Exhibition Opening Reception

2017 Scholastic Art Awards Ceremony

Lead sponsor

Bank of America

Additional support

City of Reno Arts and Culture Commission, the Nell J. Redfield Foundation and the Wild Women Artists