Many Niles North fine arts students were featured in the Evanston Blick Materials Art Show. Most of the entries were created by older or professional artists; the only high school entries were from Niles North.

However, Niles North definitely represented themselves well; two of our students placed in the competition, coming in 1st and 3rd.

 Senior Mateo Ruiz placed 3rd with his 12×12 piece entitled “Overkill.”

“My painting represents the over-hunting and slaughter of wildlife. The hunter also has a rhino scull for a head because I wanted to show how humans and animals are one and that the man carries the burden of his kill. The city is in the background to show how we take up the natural environment. I feel that the textures give the painting some grittiness to add to the wild effect,” Ruiz said.

Junior Inga Mazur placed 1st with her 12×12 “Self-Portrait”.

“My piece represents me in different points of view. I wanted to try something new and experiment with different art mediums. The white paint on my face represents a mask, and I used mostly green paint to create my face and hair because its very unusual. You usually don’t see portraits with green faces. The paper that was collaged in the back of my painting has writing on it that you can’t read. It adds to the mysterious feeling in this piece, just like my facial expression,” Mazur said.

With so many of our students entering pieces in this show, Niles North got to show the public how talented our art students really are.