Practice and Persistance by Nicolette Profeta, photograph
1st Place Tamima Al-Awar Scholarship Recipient 2013
Focus on the Masters and the Ventura County Arts Council is proud
to announce the 2013 Tamima Al-Awar Memorial
Scholarship award winning students.
Focus on the Masters and the Ventura County Arts Council is proud to announce the 2013 Tamima Al-Awar Memorial Scholarship Program award winning students. All awards were presented at the Expressions of our Youth 2013 Opening Reception and Award Ceremony at the Ventura County Government Center, Friday, February 8. All students participating are high school seniors from Ventura County schools.
Nicolette Profeta - 1st place $1,500 Award
Thousand Oaks High SchoolJuliana Marie Lemos - 2nd place $800 Award
Ventura High SchoolAngel Maya - 3rd Place $500 Award
Nordhoff High School3 - $100 Honorable Mention Awards:
Amanda Vassaur - Fillmore High School
Trevor Giove - Nordhoff High School
Cali Carter - Ventura High School
Awards are based on artistic merit and commitment as demonstrated by the application, a portfolio, and essay. All applications were reviewed by the distinguished panel of jurors. below:
- Susan Gerrard, Artist, Director of Marketing, Museum of Ventura County
- Scott Miles, Professor of Photography Brooks Institute, FOTM Board Member
- Tom McMillin, Artist, Retired Professor of Ceramics Cal State Northridge
- Barbara Hirsch, Chair, Ojai Arts Commission
- Sheryl Al-Awar, Gallery Owner and mother of Tamima Al-Awar
This year the Tamima Al-Awar Memorial Scholarship Program provided $3,100 in scholarships to high school seniors who plan to pursue art in college. The Scholarships are made possible through the generosity of FOTM Patron Paula Spellman, the Al-Awar family and the family of Merle Akins, a beloved teacher who taught art and history at Nordhoff High, Anacapa Junior High, and most notably, Buena High School, where the annual "Buena Art Show" he establish prior to his 1989 retirement, continues to this day.
In addition, all the students exhibit their work at the Ventura County Government Center in Ventura. The exhibition Expressions of Our Youth 2013 with run through March 5 and provides the students the unique opportunity to exhibit their work in a prestigious venue and work with art professionals in a real life environment.
The scholarship fund was established in 2005 to honor Tamima Michele Al-Alwar, daughter of Khaled and Sheryl Al-Awar of Ojai. Before her death in 2002, Tamima planned to pursue a degree in fine arts. She pursued her art passionately at her home studio and at Santa Barbara City College. Her passion for painting and the arts is memorialized by this scholarship.
Focus on the Masters and the Ventura County Arts Council are non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations. Contributions to the scholarship fund are always needed and welcome. For more information please contact Donna Granata at 805.653.2501 or Margaret Travers at 805.658.2213.