3 at WHS earn art honors
By FULLER ROYAL
Three Whiteville High School students have been recognized for their artwork by the Scholastic Art Awards, hosted annually by Barton College in Wilson.
Antonio Phillips and brothers Michael and Robert Bannerman submitted the winning pieces in the competition.
Antonio, 16 and a junior, received a merit award for his piece, a mixed media portrait.
“This was my first time entering scholastic,” said Antonio, the son of Angela and James Spears. “It felt great to receive this recognition.”
Antonio, who has taken two semesters of art with instructor Mark Bannerman, said art is something he enjoys.
He also plays high school basketball and football and plans to major in communications after he graduates.
Bannerman’s sons each received a Gold Key award, meaning their entries will be forwarded to national competition.
Michael, 16 and a junior, is a Gold Key Finalist for an oil pastel of his father.
“It’s an oil pastel of him when he was young and skinny,” Michael said.
“It feels good to win this again,” Michael said. “The competition was tougher this year and involved more schools and bigger schools.
“I’d like to go to school and specialize in art,” he said, “It would be nice to go to an art-based school.”
Michael said he likes painting in oil pastels. He plays trombone in the WHS Marching band and is a life Scout in Boy Scout Troop 512, working on his Eagle.
Robert, also 16 and a junior, is a Gold Key finalist for an oil pastel of a blue crab.
Robert said he was happy the piece won, even though his favorite piece that he worked on the hardest didn’t merit an honor.
Like his brother, he would like to go to school to major in some aspect of art.
‘I like using colored pencils the best,” Robert said of a slow, methodical style he uses to create his favorite work.
He plays trumpet in the WHS Marching Band is also a Life Scout in Troop 512, working toward his Eagle.
Both Bannerman brothers have taken art classes every year at WHS with their father. They have also been taught art by their mother, Mary Louise Bannerman, who teachers art in Bladen County as well as private lessons.
The county high schools’ Scholastic Art winners will be highlighted next week.