Flag design chosen from more than 250 entries
By Chris Fish
cfish@hometownnewsol.com
BREVARD -- Brevard County's artistic flare will become a little brighter after a local student receives national recognition this month.
Breanna Powell, a sophomore and student of art teacher Leslie Raulerson at Heritage High School in Palm Bay, was declared the Youth Art Month Flag Design winner for the state of Florida.
Breanna's design was chosen from more than 250 entries from students in grades K-12. Her winning design will be made into a 3-foot by 5-foot flag and flown at the annual National Art Education Association Convention in March at Ft. Worth, Texas.
"Honestly, all I can really say is that I'm happy I won, and I didn't expect it all," she said about winning for the state of Florida. "My inspiration for the design comes from several other artists that inspire me. The bright, vivid colors from the 80s inspire me for the most part; they stick out, and I like that kind of stuff."
Breanna said her hobbies include drawing, painting and anything else art-related.
"I draw and paint on a regular basis," she said, "but this particular drawing is probably the most original of my work that I've seen in a while."
She said she hopes to one day work in an art-related profession.
"I plan to go to an art school and test my luck in animation," she said. "My ideal job is to become a story board artist."
Youth Art Month has been an annual observance each March since its creation by the Arts and Craft Materials Institute in 1961. Organizers said the event was designed to emphasize the value of art education for all children and encourage support for quality art school programs.
Breanna's flag will be on display in Fort Worth, Texas, from March 7-10.
To see Breanna's winning flag design, visit www.faea.org.