The bit of talent that Lisa Vaccaro first uncovered in kindergarten with her stick-figure sketches grew throughout the years to bring her recognition as an award-winning artist in portraiture.
"I think I could really excel with this," the 17-year-old Carson High School junior said. "It's already brought me a lot of scholarship money. I'm in another competition focused on underage gambling right now. It's scoring me a lot of scholarships."
Lisa will be recognized Friday at the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno for her Gold Key award in drawing. Her drawing is a sketch of a woman's face, which she found in an ad in a women's magazine. Working nearly every day after school for about a month, she finished the drawing.
"I didn't give it a name," she said. "It's on black paper and I drew the picture with a white-colored pencil. It was really cool the way the model was posed and I like the way the light fell on her face."
Another Carson High student, Casey Van Veckhoven, received a Gold Key award for his graphic design entry. Both students' projects are entered into the national competition in New York.
"The most prestigious reason for competing nationally is they have the opportunity to be exhibited at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C." said Malena Satre, communications associate at the Nevada Museum of Art. "That's an opportunity most artists, established artists, never receive."
In addition to her Gold Key win, Lisa received a $500 scholarship from a group of women artists who live across the West from California to Utah and call themselves the Wild Women.
"We range from Auburn, Calif., to Salt Lake right now," said Wild Women spokeswoman Jimmie Benedict. "I think there are 10 of us active right now. Our feeling was we wanted to encourage young people to continue on as artists. We decided that was the best place to put our money."
This is the first year Wild Women provided scholarship money in the annual Scholastic Art Awards, a competition that serves 14 of Nevada's 17 counties. Lisa and Therese Genio of Reno, were chosen as Wild Women scholarship recipients. Other recipients received money from U.S. Bank.
"Lisa's drawing was just amazing," Benedict said. "We really wanted to see more of her work. It was very detailed and thoughtful. We were just really struck by the feeling in it."
Lisa wants to use her money for tuition, possibly at Florida or Arizona universities where she will study art and explore massage therapy.
"When I won the $500, I was like 'Whoa.' It was a great feeling. My work was appreciated, and I've never had that feeling before."
n Contact reporter Maggie O'Neill at moneill@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.
IF YOU GO:
What: Scholastic Art Exhibit, more than 150 pieces of Northern Nevada student artwork in categories from animation to photography to sculpture
Where: Nevada Museum of Art, 160 W. Liberty St., Reno
When: On display in the second floor from April 2-May 8. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday in the Donald W. Reynolds Hall of the museum.
Call: 329-3333.
Cost: Entry fee $10 for adults.
ON THE WEB:
For more on the Wild Women artists, see their Web site at wildwomenartists.com