Kolb MS Student Earns Best in Show at Young Artists’ Gallery

Leah Delgado, an eighth-grade student from Kolb Middle School in the Rialto Unified School District, recently made waves by clinching the prestigious Best in Show Award for the Middle School Division at the Young Artist Gallery.

Delgado showed off her artistic talent with a creative charcoal drawing capturing the playful essence of her beloved cat, Tanji, adorned in a bunny outfit.

In her artist’s statement about the piece, Delgado reflected that she wanted to capture the essence of her pet cat while also showcasing textures, details, and shadows as she practiced realism.

Delgado shared, “I really wanted to focus on creating a more realistic work of art, so I decided to take a photo of my cat wearing a bunny outfit. I wanted to show off my cat’s fun and playful side while creating different textures and values to practice my realism. I focused on the eyes because I wanted it to feel like the cat was looking at the viewer. I wanted the eyes to be realistic so I focused on making them have the glare from the light as he stared at the viewer.”

Delgado’s dedication to realism paid off as her piece captivated judges and earned her the accolade alongside dozens of talented student artists. The Young Artist Gallery, held at the California State San Bernardino Visual Arts Building, provided a platform for budding talents in the Inland Empire to showcase their creativity and passion for art.

Delgado and her fellow artists were honored for their outstanding contributions to local art at the grand reception and awards ceremony on March 12 at California State San Bernardino. The students’ works, ranging from paintings to sculptures, adorned the walls and showcased the depth, talent, and diversity of young artistic expression.

The annual art competition was sponsored by RIMS California Arts Project and the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools.