Congratulations, Alyssa!

Each June, we have the privilege of choosing one special student artist to win the Max Coyer Memorial Scholarship award from Windsor High School,

For 2024, Susan and I went and enjoyed viewing the artwork of the Windsor High art student seniors. From the stimulating array of paintings, sculptures, drawings, and jewelry, the stand out this year for us was Alyssa Patten.

We chose Alyssa for the scholarship because her colored pencil works of art were dynamic with bold colors and themes. and held so much potential. We know that she has a bright future ahead of her.

Thank you, teachers, especially Sarah Asplundh, for remembering Max to the assembled students and families during the ceremony. It is always a pleasure see Max’s work in our high school Media Center.

– Paula

Alyssa’s Artist Statement:

What do the Visions from My Childhood Dreams and Memories Represent? Memories from youth are often looked upon with a nostalgic glow, floating around in a dreamlike land, leaving me reminiscing in animated memories of my creative past-one that believes with all their sincerity in the truths of stories and silly little games that plagued my neighborhood playground. My work investigates my own experiences as a child and recites my most upheld beliefs whether it be simple dreams of the future or believing in the beautiful falsehoods of characters I saw on screens.  Futurerepresents the future I adored and aspired to be showing a short-haired dog standing upon the moon representing my own loyalty to the dream I once held, going into space and becoming an astronaut.  The dog looking into the center of the ever growing galaxy is similar to my ever growing mind with fireflies representing guidance.  I practiced layering pastels for added value contrast to portray depth. I experimented with bubbles to capture things I love such as sea life and games. I repeated the galaxy in my work to show growth and the potential to learn from ignorance.