This past month, the TCESC Art Exhibition held a competition at the Medici Museum in Howland. Six Lakeview students submitted 10 different works into this exhibition, winning four of the seven Juror awards during the closing ceremony. Junior Camryn Ross won big, capturing the esteemed 2025 First Place Juror’s Award.
The work she chose was originally a midterm project titled “Battlefield Room.” When Ross was asked to give some background on her piece, she responded, “The winning art piece was an in-class assignment (Art 2 midterm) inspired by artist Kehinde Wiley. My inspiration for the piece was to change the context of my piece by putting a feminine subject in a masculine environment. Women are depicted emotionally, so she lays emotionless in a battlefield covered in flowers. Her armor is gold and reflective to the contrast of bright red, soft pink and white flowers I painted and glued on the canvas myself. I also created the canvas from wood and fabric myself.”
With the requirements in mind, Ross embarked on a creative journey, skillfully combining disparate elements to bring her painting to life. “I used wood and chair fabric provided by Mr. Piper and put together the canvas myself. I used his projector to trace my subject onto my canvas before taking it home and working on it quickly at home. I brought it in for my midterm, and took it back home painting and gluing on my own paper flowers to prepare it for the contest.”
From a young age, Ross has been captivated by the world of art, always with a pencil in hand, bringing her imagination to life through drawing. As she grew older, her passion for creativity only intensified, leading her to explore various mediums and techniques. She has the ability to translate her creative ideas into tangible works of art. “I would say it pulls me away from dealing with constant social media and stress and is a way for me to create and express myself. Growing up, I would just practice fashion and characters with cool unique looks before realizing I had a talent for painting humans and faces. Growing up I learned to love myself and my face and studied myself enough to capture my look in my own creations and paintings. But it overall is a place for me to express myself in a format that stays away from media and screens and allows me to relax” Ross adds.
Apart from her recent success at the TCESC Art Show, Ross’ creative endeavors extend into a variety of artistic expressions. Her love for art is not limited, as she explores different techniques to express her unique perspective. She comments on her other artistic pursuits and preferences, sharing: “I mainly paint portraits of myself because I know my face very well. I use some canvases I bought myself and paint with my own acrylic paint. I also spend time working on graphite sketches in some free time as well. I mostly enjoy painting myself, though.”
Ross’ artistic ambitions continue to evolve as she delves into new projects and future endeavors, showcasing her versatility and creativity in a variety of mediums. She explains, “I am currently working on some pottery and ceramics in my Art 2 class. In the near future, expect some murals or pieces to appear around Cortland from me. I am also painting an ‘outdoor adventure’ piece for an outdoor exhibition appearing in downtown Cortland.”
Congrats to Camryn Ross and her fellow classmates for their success at the exhibition. Lakeview looks forward to seeing the growth of your careers and the achievements you embark on next!
