Announcing our Art Scholarship Winners! 3

We are proud to announce that three promising art students have been awarded our first ever Create Your Best Work Art Scholarship! Upon meticulously reviewing more than 100 applications, the judging panel named Bailey Wilson, a freshman at Virginia Commonwealth University, as the $5,000 grand prize scholarship winner; along with Aisha Auradou, a sophomore at University of Wyoming, and Sharon Yehnert, a freshman at University of Notre Dame, as the two $2,500 runners-up.

In addition to their scholarships, each student will receive $500 worth of Tombow products to use in the coming academic year, and the art departments of the high schools they graduated from will also receive a $500 package of Tombow products.

We chatted with each of the scholarship recipients to find out more about their passion for art and what this scholarship means to them.

Grand Prize Winner: Bailey Wilson

How did you first get interested in art?

Simply taking elective classes in elementary school made me interested in art. Even as early as first grade, I was staying after school to participate in arts programs.

What is your favorite type of art to create?

My favorite type of art to create is illustration. I love drawing with pen, but I’ve been really interested in making digital art lately.

How did you first learn about Tombow?

I first learned about Tombow in middle school when I was able to use Tombow art supplies from our classroom.

What is your favorite Tombow product to use when you’re creating your art?

My favorite Tombow products to use in my art are probably the Dual Brush Pens or the Lettering Sets. I love the colors available and the high quality feel of them.

How did you feel when you learned that you were selected as the winner of our scholarship?

When I first opened the email, I really couldn’t believe that I’d won. I had to reread it multiple times, growing more and more excited with each second. I was overjoyed, and I soon told my family members, all of whom celebrated with me.

What are your career goals or plans for after you graduate?

My career goals for after I graduate are to work as an illustrator or concept artist. I’m also interesting in starting an apprenticeship to become a tattoo artist, and then I would do freelance illustration as well.

Runner-Up: Aisha Auradou

How did you first get interested in art?

My freshman year of high school my teacher, Diane Maclean, convinced me into entering into a state-wide art symposium. While I didn’t win any prizes my first year, it got the competitive side of me hooked and I haven’t stopped creating art since.

What is your favorite type of art to create?

I strive to create art that makes viewers want to get closer and look deeper into my art. On average people only look at art for 15 seconds and carry on. I don’t want me or my art to become an afterthought, and I want people’s heads to keep turning when they see it.

How did you first learn about Tombow?

I “borrowed” the Tombow MONO Zero Eraser from my best friend Joshua Gallardo. He later gave it to me because I loved it so much.

What is your favorite Tombow product to use when you’re creating your art?

The MONO Zero Eraser my best friend gave me.

How did you feel when you learned that you were selected as a runner-up for our scholarship?

I felt very honored to have gotten so far, money is a struggle for any college student so this scholarship will help me immensely. This contest has further motivated me to create better and better art, and I’m looking forward to further improvement.

What are your career goals or plans for after you graduate?

I want to pursue a Masters in Fine Arts. After that I want to explore my art style and my options and use what I’ve learned to help beginner artists discover their passion for arts (much like my teachers have done for me).

Runner-Up: Sharon Yehnert

How did you first get interested in art?

I was first introduced to art through my elementary school art class, which I attended two days a week. Once I graduated to middle school, I was fortunate enough to attend a school focused on the visual and performing arts. There, I was able to fill my elective slots with art classes, from drawing and painting to ceramics and sculpture classes. It was in middle school that I discovered a true passion for all forms of art.

What is your favorite type of art to create?

For several years, my favorite type of art to create has been realistic portraiture. However, recently I’ve come to enjoy watercolor painting just as much. I’d consider both portraiture and watercolors my favorite kinds of art to create.

How did you first learn about Tombow?

I first learned about Tombow while browsing various art stores, and finding Tombow products stocked on the shelves. Later I became more interested and started exploring the company website, which is how I discovered this scholarship.

What is your favorite Tombow product to use when you’re creating your art?

My favorite Tombow product to use is the Perfect Blends Dual Brush Pen 20-pack. There’s an awesome selection of colors in the pack, and I think the markers themselves work really well, too.

How did you feel when you learned that you were selected as a runner-up for our scholarship?

I was so excited! I didn’t think I’d win anything when I first applied, but I loved how the scholarship focused on students pursuing art-related majors. I decided to apply just in case, and I’m so glad I did!

What are your career goals or plans for after you graduate?

After I graduate from college, I hope to go on to pursue a Master’s Degree in architecture before entering the work force. Eventually, I want to establish my own architecture firm.

Five additional students will receive product-only awards in the amount of $100. The students receiving those awards are Angelina Dukhonina, a high school senior at Evergreen High School; Anna Louise Brown, a freshman at Eastern Illinois University; Avery Hartranft, a freshman at Kent State University; Kate Goodvin, a high school senior at City High School; and Phoebe Wang, a sophomore at Art Center College of Design.