Student artwork to hang in courthouse
Riley Positano, left, Judge Adam Wilgus and Rodney Yakley in Wilgus’ courtroom at the Tuscarawas County Courthouse. The young women were the winners of the annual art scholarship awards presented by Wilgus.
Riley Positano, a senior at Indian Valley High School, and Rodney Yakley, a senior at Dover High School, were named the winners of the fourth annual art scholarship contest held by Judge Adam Wilgus.
Positano won first place and $500, and Yakley took second and $250. The awards were made in the courtroom of Wilgus.
“I decided to start it because I thought the courtroom was really boring and we needed to spice it up a little bit,” Wilgus said. “And what better way than to get some artwork from our youth here in Tuscarawas County?”
Everyone who submitted artwork also provided an essay to explain their work.
Yakley’s artwork was named “Memories.” It features a child sitting in the center of a colorful parachute.
“It is a piece that demonstrates a fond childhood memory during my time in elementary school,” Yakley said. “As a senior one of my fondest memories is playing in gym class and playing with a parachute. We would float it in the air and then sit underneath the parachute, looking up at all the colors inside.”
The memory has stuck with her because of how bright and beautiful the colors were.
Wilgus gets help from others at the courthouse to judge the pieces submitted.
“Not only myself, but other people as well at the court remember that exact same thing,” Wilgus said. “I just thought that is definitely something I want on the wall in the courtroom.”
Yakley plans to attend college at Kent State Tuscarawas to get her associate degree and then attend Stark State to complete a bachelor’s degree in art education.
Yakley has enjoyed drawing since the age of 3 on a doodle pad.
“I’ve always been interested in art. It’s always been my thing,” Yakley said.
Yakley enjoys all types of art including traditional art and digital art. “I like painting, but I also use colored pencils and markers, and I use my phone, where I have art apps, and I draw as well,” she said.
Positano’s work, titled “Graduation Cap,” features the top of a student’s graduation cap with four scenes featuring Indian Valley High School, a person riding on a tractor, the Tusky Dugout ice cream trailer and a scene representing the IVHS state football championship.
“I remember each year, even from kindergarten, the seniors walking through the hallways in their gowns of red and blue. They each held signs telling of their future plans and who they will become,” Positano said.
The fact that this year it will be her turn caused Positano to reflect.
“For my piece I decided to take the graduation cap and turn it into a mirror of the past. The graduation cap is divided into four pieces, each holding a different memory. In the top piece is Indian Valley High School. This school has led me to become who I am today,” Positano said.
Though Positano does not participate in FFA, it is close to her heart.
“I have grown up surrounded by farmlands. I myself have raised chickens in my backyard. To me, being a farmer, whether in your backyard or owning lots of land, is what our community is,” Positano said.
The square featuring the Tusky Dugout in Tuscarawas signifies happiness.
“I have fond memories of going there after softball games and practices, a spot where the team could hang out and truly bond,” Positano said.
The last square features IVHS senior Jaxon Burcher holding the OHSAA Division IV football championship trophy.
“This square represents our community, as a whole, in toughness. There are few times that I am able to think of a time when Tuscarawas County has supported each other the way they did during the football team’s run,” Positano said.
The final part of the piece is the girl wearing the graduation cap. She wears a red gown representative of Indian Valley. She has red hair with bits of brown, blonde and black to represent others.
“I have created this piece in the hopes of representing the values of our community in scenes from my childhood,” Positano said.
Positano will continue her education at Kent State University and plans to become a French and Spanish teacher.
Positano finds art to be a stress-relief passion. She has been taking art lessons since the age of 6, first studying with Karen Gazdik.
“Recently, I’ve been doing lots of people drawing. Currently, I’m working on one of a prom picture of my best friends,” Positano said, adding she enjoys doing all types of art.
Wilgus plans to continue offering the art scholarship contest in the future.
“It just seems like every year it gets better and better. It’s absolutely amazing,” Wilgus said.