“Wow. How did he do that?”
That is what people say when they look at the work from our students in the Visual Arts Department.
Each year, thousands of students enter pieces of artwork into the Scholastic Art & Writing Competition for judging, but only a select portion receives recognition. This year, Saint Ignatius has the honor of celebrating 16 students who drew the admiration of judges and received a total of 22 awards.
Jr. Wagner '23, Sean O'Neill '24, and Owen Gillespie '25 took home the gold in the Photography and Drawing & Illustration categories. From self-portraits to shoes to parked cars, the talent and creative vision of these three men set their artwork apart from the rest and earned them highest honor, a Gold Key.
Jack Geffert ‘24 swept the competition with his captivating photos of everyday life. His photo "Mushrooms" (left) was just one of the pieces that earned him a Silver Key. Geffert won four awards in total, receiving three Silver Keys and one Honorable Mention. The exceptional photographer has one more year at Saint Ignatius, and we anticipate his work appearing again in the competition next year.
From freshman to senior, this year’s Scholastic Art & Writing award recipients are composed of some of the most gifted and brightest Saint Ignatius student artists. See below for the full list of student-artist honorees, their awards and project types.
The Cleveland Institute of Art website features the full gallery of work and information about this year’s art exhibition.
Congratulations to our students on their terrific achievement, and thank you to the support from the peers, teachers, families and mentors who motivate and inspire our students daily. We are blessed to have an Ignatius community that encourages creative expression and celebrates the growth and successes of our men.
Go Cats!
Click Here to see more of this year's award-winning pieces!
Click Here to see the 2022 Visual Arts online gallery!
Click Here to see all of the 2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Award Recipients!
2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Award Recipients
| Student |
Title |
Medium/Format |
Award Type |
| Jr Wagner '23 |
Jr's Dope Foto |
Photography |
Gold Key |
| Sean O'Neill '24 |
untitled triptych |
Drawing & Illustration |
Gold Key |
| Owen Gillespie '25 |
Self-Portrait |
Drawing & Illustration |
Gold Key |
| Jose Figueroa '23 |
Figueroa_35 |
Photography |
Silver Key |
| Jack Geffert '24 |
Dandelion |
Photography |
Silver Key |
| Jack Geffert '24 |
Mushrooms |
Photography |
Silver Key |
| Jack Geffert '24 |
Water Drop |
Photography |
Silver Key |
| Owen Gillespie '25 |
Self-Portrait |
Drawing & Illustration |
Silver Key |
| Alex Miller '26 |
The Infinite Line |
Drawing & Illustration |
Silver Key |
| Sean O'Neill '24 |
untitled |
Drawing & Illustration |
Silver Key |
| Maksim Andrich '23 |
Cycle |
Photography |
Honorable Mention |
| Paul Angert '24 |
Outstretched Hands |
Drawing & Illustration |
Honorable Mention |
| Andrew Brennan '26 |
Van Aken District |
Design |
Honorable Mention |
| Andrew Erickson '23 |
Red Stone Shore |
Photography |
Honorable Mention |
| Jose Figueroa '23 |
Bee |
Photography |
Honorable Mention |
| Jack Geffert '24 |
Thanksgiving |
Photography |
Honorable Mention |
| Jacob Jarc '26 |
Five Bells Inn |
Digital Art |
Honorable Mention |
| Drew Kneblewicz '25 |
Kneblewicz |
Printmaking |
Honorable Mention |
| Ryan Lawlor '25 |
Lawlor |
Drawing & Illustration |
Honorable Mention |
| Ethan Makar '23 |
Ohio City |
Design |
Honorable Mention |
| John Rodgers '23 |
The End of a Good Time |
Photography |
Honorable Mention |
| Mark Zuzindlak '26 |
Crosstair |
Printmaking |
Honorable Mention |