High School Division winners stand with Tracy Squarcette and Hope LaGrone from Altrusa Internatio... High School Division winners stand with Tracy Squarcette and Hope LaGrone from Altrusa International (at left), which helps sponsor the competition. From left to right are Emily McLeod (Georgetown High School), Xavian Gonzales (Shoemaker High School), Emma Gamboa (Georgetown High School), Gabriela Hansen (Belton High School), Su Ro (Harker Heights High School), Tiera Flores (Georgetown High School), Annika Brandenburg (Georgetown High School) and Michael Martel (East View High School - Georgetown). Credit: Lucas AdamsStudents from five area high schools and four area colleges received awards in the 39th annual Central Texas Art Competition.

Nearly 600 entries were submitted for the competition, which is coordinated by the Temple College Visual Arts Department. Works accepted for the competition included paintings, drawings, prints, photography, ceramics, sculpture and jewelry. The juror for the competition was Mark Anderson, professor and chair of the Art Department at Baylor University.

The competition offered a total of $2,100 in cash prizes to the student artists. In the college division, the $200 Best of Show Award went to Warren Sanders from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor for his watercolor titled “Old Truck.” In the high school division, the $200 Best of Show Award went to Cristina Vasquez from Georgetown High School for her charcoal piece titled “Ciseneros.”

In the college division, Awards of Excellence went to Patti Cummings (University of Mary Hardin-Baylor), Chiara Estrella (Central Texas College), Ana Olvera (Southwestern University), Berry Rodriguez (Central Texas College) and Eduardo Salazar (Temple College). Honorable Mention Awards of $50 were given to Mylani Peach from Temple College and Michelle Hege from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

Winners in the College Division stand with Doug Smith from Temple South Rotary Club (at right), w... Winners in the College Division stand with Doug Smith from Temple South Rotary Club (at right), which helps sponsor the exhibition. From left to right are Mylani Peach (Temple College), Ana Olvera (Southwestern University), Eduardo Salazar (Temple College), Chiara Estrella (Central Texas College), Warren Sanders (UMHB), Berry Rodriguez (Central Texas College) and Patti Cummings (UMHB).In the high school division, Awards of Excellence went to Annika Brandenburg (Georgetown High School), Tiera Flores (Georgetown High School), Xavian Gonzales (Shoemaker High School), Gabriela Hansen (Belton High School), Emily McLeod (Georgetown High School) and Su Ro (Harker Heights High School). Honorable Mention Awards of $50 were given to Emma Gamboa (Georgetown High School) and Michael Martel (East View High School - Georgetown).

Of the 581 works submitted for the competition, 205 were selected for an exhibition that will be on display in the gallery of the Temple College Visual Arts Complex at 2105 South 5th St. in Temple through Dec. 3. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday or by appointment. Temple College will be closed for Thanksgiving Nov. 21-23.

The Central Texas Art Competition and Exhibition is sponsored by Altrusa International of Temple and the Temple South Rotary Club. It is one of the longest-running art competitions in Texas.