By India Pearman
Staff Writer
Mira Costa students senior Jane Fishman and sophomore Sean Kennedy showed their artistic talents by submitting pieces and winning first place in the Reflections Art Contest.
Kennedy and Fishman won first place in their respective categories at the Reflections Art Contest, earning them each a spot in the National Reflections Contest where the two will represent California. Kennedy won the Photography category for his photos, and Fishman won the Music Composition category for her original song.
“I did not expect to win first place,” Fishman said. “I am pretty excited, though, because it is a cool thing to have the ability to represent California at the national level, and I am excited to see what happens. I am glad that people liked my song.”
The theme of this year’s contest was “What Is Your Story?,” and submissions represented the artists’ backgrounds and experiences. The contest received a total of 539 submissions for the art forms dance/choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts.
“The contest lent me the opportunity to express my own style and submit something that shows who I am as a person,” Fishman said. “I use music as a way to express myself, the ideas that I have and the things that I am experiencing. I think this theme encompasses why I do what I do, and that is unique.”
Kennedy submitted two photos to the contest after learning about it through the Costa daily bulletin. The main feature of one photograph he submitted is a house located on the edge of the lake, a local landmark. Kennedy took the picture on his Nikon D5300, a standard DSLR, which is a general use camera. He also used Lightroom, an editing software. Kennedy submitted the photo to the Neptunian Woman’s Club Art and Photo Contest where it also won first place in his category and age group.
“I go to Plymouth every year, and it was fun to take a picture of something I have always seen and been thinking of,” Kennedy said. “It was really nice to share pictures of places I have always been with others. When I learned that I won the state division, I was really happy about that because I had no idea that was even possible.”
Fishman submitted her original song, “Something Better,” that she wrote and recorded herself. She used the recording software, Logic, which she describes as a “glorified garage band,” to produce the song. Fishman plans to major in voice performance but has not decided where she will attend college. “Something Better” revolves around the idea of taking advantage of the various opportunities that are always present in one’s life, Fishman said.
“I’m not super great at recording, but I was really excited about this song,” Fishman said. “I was excited by the progress because I added more instruments, and I laid the tracks out in a way that I thought was more intuitive.”
The Reflections Art Contest is available to all grade levels in all Manhattan Beach Unified School District schools. Sasha Popov from Manhattan Beach Middle School received an Award of Merit for her photography submission. Throughout all grade levels in California, the State Parent Teacher Association gave 30 Awards of Excellence and 87 Awards of Merit. All local award recipients will be honored at the April 5 MBUSD Board of Trustees meeting.
“I would say go for it if you are into anything arts, music, photography, just try and make some work, and enter it into the contest,” Kennedy said. “It is nice to make art, but it is even better to share it with others, so when other people see it, you get the big gratification of sharing.”
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