Northwestern High School artists sweep Visual Arts Classic awards
MAPLE — Twelve Northwestern High School students competed at the Northland Regional in Ashland for the 2024 Visual Arts Classic on Feb. 23.
Students received long-term project prompts for 12 different categories in November, and coaches Charlie Hessel and Allison Melde gave the students until early December to submit their ideas and sketches for an opportunity to earn a spot on the team.
A sculpture by Northwestern High School senior Iva Jukic that was entered in the Visual Arts Classic competition. The prompt for this piece was to create a 3D sculpture that shocks the eye with color.
Contributed / Northwestern High School art teacher Charlie Hessel
Teams may have up to 12 students with no more than two students competing in any given category. Some students submitted sketches for several categories to give themselves a better chance to make the team as well as allow Hessel and Melde to choose the best combination of projects to make a strong team.
A fiber arts piece by Northwestern High School senior Francesca Germano that was entered in the Visual Arts Classic competition. The prompt for the piece was to construct a colorful fabric bag, box or vessel embellished with beadwork imagery of something significant to you. You may also embellish with other fiber elements such as embroidery and needle felting.
Contributed / Northwestern High School art teacher Charlie Hessel
From the time the team was named up to the date of the regional, students created their long-term projects. In addition, they researched a list of artists or art movements in preparation for a team quiz bowl competition.
The day of competition started with students hanging their long-term projects for judging. Once that was completed, students settled into studio spaces where they received an on-site prompt. Projects were created over the course of the next two and a half hours. Once the dust settled from that process, there was a team critical thinking competition, where students were given another prompt and created one large artwork as a group in 45 minutes. Students transitioned from that competition back to their studio spaces where they received critiques for their long-term and on-site projects. The day ended with a team Art History Quiz Bowl competition.
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A painting by Northwestern High School sophomore Claire Germano that was entered in the Visual Arts Classic competition. The prompt for the piece was to paint yourself moving through your ideal landscape, cityscape, seascape, etc. Choose colors that express your feelings while moving through the space you create (not necessarily the true/natural colors of that landscape).
Contributed / Northwestern High School art teacher Charlie Hessel
Northwestern won the regional championship, claiming first place in the critical thinking and quiz bowl competitions, as well as claiming 22 first-place ribbons and two second-place ribbons with their 24 projects.
An art history pointillism piece by Northwestern High School freshman Claire Massier that was entered in the Visual Arts Classic competition. The prompt for the piece was: Working from reference photographs you take yourself (at least three) create a pointillism drawing of painting of a favorite gathering spot for your family, or a popular spot within your community.
Contributed / Northwestern High School art teacher Charlie Hessel
The team moves on to the State Visual Arts Classic meet on Monday, March 25, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where they will compete against 60 other schools from across Wisconsin. Northwestern previously won the state competition in 2017 and 2020.
A painting by Northwestern High School senior Hailey Finckler that was entered in the Visual Arts Classic competition. The prompt for this piece was to paint yourself moving through your ideal landscape, cityscape, seascape, etc. Choose colors that express your feelings while moving through the space you create (not necessarily the true/natural colors of that landscape).
Contributed / Northwestern High School art teacher Charlie Hessel
A drawing by Northwestern High School senior Jordan Downey that was entered in the Visual Arts Classic competition. The prompt for the piece was to create a drawing (subject of your choice) that uses hard lighting on the subject, strong shadows and a variety of surprising overlapping color combinations.
Contributed / Northwestern High School art teacher Charlie Hessel
A mixed media piece by Northwestern High School senior Maria Wiita that was entered in the Visual Arts Classic competition. The prompt for the piece was to colorfully embellish a photographic portrait of someone personally significant to you in a way that references their strengths, cultural heritage and/or personal interests (preferably not a celebrity). Students must have rights to use the photo and the embellishment must significantly alter the portrait as to supersede any copyright and make the artwork truly unique and their own.
Contributed / Northwestern High School art teacher Charlie Hessel
A graphic design piece by Northwestern High School senior Sasha Rowan that was entered in the Visual Arts Classic competition. The prompt for this piece was: Using inspiration from the style of Terrance Osborne, depict a strongly colorful advertisement/promo poster for a “famous” street, business or building that is significant to your community.
Contributed / Northwestern High School art teacher Charlie Hessel
A pointillism art history piece by Northwestern High School freshman Shyanne Xiong that was entered in the Visual Arts Classic competition. The prompt for the piece was: Working from reference photographs you take yourself (at least three) create a pointillism drawing or painting of a favorite gathering spot for your family or a popular spot within your community.
Contributed / Northwestern High School art teacher Charlie Hessel
A sculpture by Northwestern High School freshman Sophie Navarro that was entered in the Visual Arts Classic competition. The prompt for the piece was to create a 3D sculpture that shocks the eye with color.
Contributed / Northwestern High School art teacher Charlie Hessel
Charlie Hessel is an art teacher at Northwestern High School.
This story is part of the Telegram’s efforts to showcase the work of young people in the community. For more information on those efforts, contact reporter Maria Lockwood at
