Wissahickon Student Artwork Wins Top Prize At Montco Competition

AMBLER, PA — The artwork of a student from Wissahickon High School has been selected for showcase as part of an annual countywide competition at Montgomery County Community College.

The Montgomery County High School Art Exhibition and Competition, now in its 40th year, is free and open to the public at the college through March 14.

"It’s good for art students to participate in these types of shows—they can discover things about their work in a gallery setting that they might have missed before, and it's fun to see how it relates to the work of other students throughout the area," Patrick Rodgers, Galleries Director at MCCC, said in a statement. "For art teachers, the exhibition gives them a chance to meet and gather ideas and inspiration from each other."

Wissahickon High School's Matthew Autieri won the "Best in Show" award for his acrylic on paper, "Portrait Study." Autieri won $50 for his work.

"Our juror just thought it was the most expressive, most emotionally powerful, and most curious piece in the show and deserved top recognition," the gallery director told Wissahickon.

Artwork from numerous schools around the region can be found at the show, including from Abington, Cheltenham, Germantown Academy, Hatboro-Horsham, Jenkintown, La Salle College, Methacton, Norristown, North Penn, Perkiomen Valley, Plymouth Whitemarsh, Souderton, Springfield Township, Spring-Ford, Upper Dublin, Upper Merion and Wissahickon high schools, organizers said.

Independent artist and member of the Greater Norristown Art League, Jo Ann Cooksey Bono, was this year's juror.

The exhibition is at the college's Fine Arts Center Art Gallery at the Central Campus, located on 340 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell.

Image by Matt Autieri, via Wissahickon School District