Clime-Art Exhibition

- By Sarah Kiser, Co-Editor-in-Chief -

Angels for the Environment’s Clime-Art competition, an art contest around the theme of environmental and climate issues, had its interactive exhibition on March 16 in the Weems Art Gallery. During the exhibition, guests viewed each of the 11 entries and voted for their fan favorite. Attendants also could have a conversation with special guests and congressional candidates Ken Romley and Wendy Ella May.

Cro Owens, ’19, organized the art competition. She said that the goal was “to inspire students and the larger community to speak to their legislators about environmental and climate issues they care about and to make the world a better place one artistic stroke at a time.” Romley and May “engage[d] with students and discuss[ed] climate/environmental policies with them… [the judges’] presence spawned some really valuable conversations” said Owens. May also brought an art piece of her own.

Aimee Wilmoth from WRAL-TV served as a special guest judge. She interacted with attendants and selected an entry for the special guest judge pick award.

The winners were as follows:

1st: Kristen Viera’s “Lookin Like a Snack”

2nd: Evelyn Cupil-Garcia’s “Waste”

3rd: Nico Wild’s “Fun Facts”

Fan Favorite: Kristen Viera’s “Lookin Like a Snack”

Special Guest Judge Pick (Aimee Wilmoth): Victoria Mulcahy’s chalk pastel.

Owens mentioned an entry that, though it did not win an award, she “really liked.” Zahhria Wilson’s unnamed canvas, as Owens described it, “was painted black with white outlining the structure of a beehive, and sewn into the canvas were the words ‘where are the bees’ and a few hexagons connected by golden thread hanging off the bottom, along with a needle.”

The exhibition was well attended. Owens was satisfied with the exhibition and participation. She said “I am not sure if I will host a similar event in the future, but I would certainly like to. I’d like to continue inspiring political conversations through art, so if I do another one, I will likely focus on a different issue.”

Cutline: Kristen Viera's “Lookin’ Like a Snack”: Raising Awareness on the Importance of Recycling. Medium: 3D Piece and Poster.