2016 Young Tennessee Artists: Selections from Advanced Studio Art Programs

The Frist Art Museum’ biennial Young Tennessee Artists exhibition showcases some of the finest two-dimensional artwork by high school students across the state. Students in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) studio art programs during the 2015–16 academic year were invited to submit their work to the sixth edition of this exhibition. After reviewing more than eight hundred entries from home-school programs as well as public and private schools, the jurors selected drawings, paintings, photographs, digital prints, and mixed-media works made by thirty students.

Upper-level studio courses make it possible for highly motivated students to build and refine their portfolios through ongoing investigation, practice, and reflection. The dedicated teachers in AP and IB programs challenge their students’ artistic perceptions and encourage them to develop aesthetic methods, both conceptually and in execution. At the end of the school year, each student’s portfolio is reviewed by AP or IB examiners. Students may subsequently receive college course credit or other recognition of their accomplishments.

This exhibition illuminates their skillful synthesis of form, technique, and content. The range and quality of work demonstrate the growing sophistication within AP and IB studio art programs across Tennessee.

We would like to acknowledge and thank the selection committee:

Jodi Hays, painter and independent curator
Vesna Pavlović, artist and professor of photography, Vanderbilt University
Katie Delmez, curator, Frist Art Museum
Rosemary Brunton, exhibition curator and associate educator for community engagement, Frist Art Museum

Advanced Placement is a registered trademark of the College Board. International Baccalaureate is a registered trademark of the IB Organization. The institutions were not involved in the production of and do not endorse this exhibition.

Image, right: Murphy McMillan. New Era, 2015. Mixed media, 23 x 19 in. Courtesy of the artist. © Murphy McMillan