Waukon High School Spotlight Artist for May is also Senior Art Award winner ...

The suspension and ultimate end to the Allamakee Community School District school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the Spotlight Artist series typically published in Waukon High School’s student newspaper, The Tribune, not to be featured. The Spotlight Artist for the month of May was scheduled to be senior Abbie Brainard, who was extremely active in the art program with courses and participated in a variety of contests and events outside of the school day. She also used her artistic talent to help other organizations within the school. From making posters for sporting events and the middle school play to designing the Homecoming and student council shirts, decorating the Homecoming football and graciously completing any other odd and end artistic tasks that came her way.

Brainard took every art class the school offered, including a Teacher Assistant role under instructor Carlyn Lechtenberg and Advanced Studio course which allowed her to work independently with her latest feat, before school cancellation, tackling a full size mural on the art room wall. Her featured artwork includes a collection of pieces from her ceramics, printmaking, digital design and advanced studio courses this school year, some of which is pictured in the surrounding photos.

Brainard’s contest and event involvement included: participating in the Homecoming parade art float, co-designing the sixth-12th grade art program traveling mural, a 4-H calendar in which her submission was featured, a Doodle 4 Google design, being selected to participate in the Vans Custom Color shoe design, Youth Art Month show qualifier, and she had intentions of entering the Northeast Iowa High School Art Show hosted by Upper Iowa University before it, too, was canceled due to the pandemic. Last year she placed third at that event with her digital design work. She also volunteered her time during various Sundays to help instruct a youth art event.

Brainard was also honored as the 2020 recipient of the Waukon High School Senior Art Award in recognition of her dedication, involvement, positivity, effort, creativity and artistic ability shown within the art program. In the fall, Brainard plans to attend Upper Iowa University with the potential of art in her future. View all student artwork online at artsonia.com and keep up with what’s happening in the art room by following Mrs. Lechtenberg on social media. Submitted images.