Children draw dream houses

Students in the Clark County School District from kindergarten to fifth grades had the opportunity to enter their artwork in the 16th annual Where I Live Nevada Housing Division School Arts Competition.

The artwork depicted where the children lived, or where they wanted to live in the future.

First-place winner Nayeli Perea is a fifth-grader who attends Sunrise Acres Elementary School.

She drew a large home including a stone walkway. The picture showed her lying in the grass reading, while three small dogs played around her.

"I am happy I won. My drawing made me think of my dogs and how I love to read," Perea said.

Gail Trower-Coll, art specialist at Sunrise Acres Elementary School, had four students' work selected for reproduction in the calendar. Nayeli Perea's brother, Fabian Perea, had his art work selected for exhibition.

"I am amazed that my students have done so well," Trower-Coll said. "I am really impressed with all of their hard work and dedication."

Judges' Choice winner, Rodrigo Velasque, attends third grade at Helen Herr Elementary School.

His winning picture features a bird in the foreground with a home on a mountain surrounded by a lake in the background.

"I drew the bird because I thought of my grandma," Velasque said. "She used to own birds."

"The composition of the picture was amazing," said Mila Soho, art specialist at Helen Herr Elementary School. "His work is that of a high school student."

Second-place winner Jasiel Ortiz is a fifth-grader at Doris French Elementary School. She drew a bright blue thatched-roof cottage in a dense forest.

"It inspired me because I always liked the forest and all of the wild animals so that is where I wanted to live, and hope to live one day," Ortiz said.

"I am so proud of her. This is not the first time she has been nominated in an art contest," said art specialist Beverly Oanes at Doris French Elementary School. "I am glad she is pushing herself to enter these art contests."

Third-place winner Sephia Lazzarino attends the fourth grade at J.M. Ullom Elementary School. She drew a log cabin surrounded by pine trees. Snow was on the ground and the cabin's rooftop. In the front yard was a snowman, dog and children playing in the snow.

"I am very proud of my daughter," said Alex Lazzarino, Sephia Lazzarino's father. "She has been drawing since she was 2 years of age."

"I am very elated that she won this year. She missed coming last year (with one of her pieces being selected)," said Cheryl Savello, art specialist for J.M. Ullom Elementary School, "so to have her win something this year and get third place is just really extra special."

The art contest was conceived and developed by the housing division in 1995 with the first exhibition held in the Sawyer Building in 1996.

"This is a very rewarding and successful contest for us at the housing division," said Chas Horsey, administrator for the Nevada Housing Division.

"Our goals of heightening awareness of home and community through art for Nevada's next generation of homeowners and community leaders have definitely been met."

Community partners include the Sands Foundation, Clark County School District, The Las Vegas Review-Journal real estate section, Clark County Community Resources Management Division, Blick Art Materials and Bank of America Home Loans.

Entries were judged Nov. 1 by Jan Butler, a retired Clark County School District art teacher; Vija Hamilton, artist and retired CCSD art teacher; Carmel Hopkins, a retired editor of the Las Vegas Review-Journal's real estate section; Claire DeJesus, publisher of Las Vegas New Homes Guide and supervisor of Las Vegas Review-Journal real estate section; and Markus Tracy, education program coordinator for The Smith Center for the Performing Arts.

Out of the 5,535 pieces submitted from 53 schools, 128 pieces were juried into the exhibition.

The judges selected 21 pieces as the best works of art for reproduction in the Nevada Housing Division's annual calendar.

The Sands Foundation hosted an exhibition, reception and program at The Venetian Nov. 22 where the juried art contest winners' work was on display.