A painting by a 9th-grade student from White County will hang in Washington D.C. for the next year.
Laura Ivey won first place in the Ninth Congressional District Art Competition. She entered her watercolor, pen, and ink drawing of her collection of nutcrackers and was thrilled to learn this week that she won. Her mom surprised her with the news over dinner. “She handed me the envelope with the letter in it, and I just started crying,” says Ivey. “I still can’t believe that I won.”
The homeschooler, who plans to enter White County High School in the fall, credits her grandmother and mother with helping her earn such an honor. Ivey’s grandmother is a professional artist. “She’s taught the whole family. Every grandchild has to do art,” Ivey explains. “She’s an amazing artist and amazing grandmother.” But talent without persistence doesn’t go very far, and that’s where Ivey credits her mom. “My mom pushed me. I’m very glad that she did. If she hadn’t, I probably would have given up.”
Amy Ivey proudly posted a photo of her daughter’s award-winning artwork on her social media page. “I’m so proud of her, not because she won but because she worked through the disciplined process of completing a competition art piece,” she writes.
From childhood fascination to award-winning art
Laura’s nutcracker painting displays a well-trained eye for color, proportion, and composition. Anyone looking at the picture will see that. What they won’t see is the story behind the painting that makes this win all the sweeter for the young artist who created it.
“I’ve loved nutcrackers since I was little,” Ivey says, “since I was brought to The Nutcracker live performance. My family took me there when I was really really little, and they thought I’d fall asleep, but I didn’t, I was transfixed.” Since then, Ivey has amassed quite a collection of nutcrackers – around thirty. She prominently displayed a dozen of them in her painting. “I feel this art piece is special because it says a lot about me.”
Her winning work also says a lot about her family’s artistic DNA. Not only did Laura compete and win against high school students in twenty North Georgia counties, but she’s also now the third member of her family to do it. Her older brother, Jacob, and sister, Katharine, both won the Ninth Congressional District Art Competition when they were in 11th grade. One might think their baby sister would seize bragging rights since, after all, she did win it two years sooner, but that’s not the case. “I don’t think it’s necessary [to brag],” Laura says generously, “they’re spectacular artists.”
This 15-year-old with a passion for art expresses herself through performance art too. She’s actively involved in the Holly Theater in Dahlonega. Her mom and sister are familiar faces on stage at the Habersham Community Theater in Clarkesville.
As part of her prize for winning the competition, Ivey will get a trip to Washington D.C. to attend the awards ceremony. The Congressional Institute which sponsors the contest has temporarily postponed that trip due to COVID-19. Still, Laura Ivey’s looking forward to it whenever it does happen. “It’s going to be awesome!” she says.
When she leaves D.C., her artwork will stay behind, framed, and on display in the Cannon Tunnel at the U.S. Capitol.
