Recently, art students at CHS participated in the Santa Monica Mountains Fire Safe Council’s Student Art Contest (SMMFC). This community-based event hosts art contests and allows individuals to showcase their best pieces of artwork. The artwork presented focused on the topic of animals and the environment, highlighting the beauty and uniqueness of the two.
Among the individuals who participated, three students from Calabasas High School had their artwork selected in the SMMFC contest: Mia Sayadian, Jade Bassis, and Lian Avitan.
As winners, their artwork was displayed at the Fire Safe Festival on May 16 and will be featured on SMMFSC postcards and newsletters. During the Fire Safe Festival, they received a gift card to Blick’s Art Materials.
In addition to the SMMFC win, junior Jade Bassis won the Gene Autry Art Competition.
Avitan, a junior at CHS, created the piece titled California Quails and shared his overall experience in participating in the SMMFC.
“My experience participating in SMMFC was really fun and rewarding. I learned a lot and enjoyed being part of the community,” Avitan said.
Avitan’s artwork combines both animals and the environment, where he chose to display violet colored flowers with a mix of quails.
Avitan also described why he chose to participate in the SMMFC Fire Safe Festival.
“My motivation was wanting to try something new, grow as a person, and be involved with others who shared similar goals,” Avitan said.
This level of motivation from Avitan applies not only to his art, but also in life when he wants to get out of his comfort zone. Avitan stated that he would want to participate in it again next year.
Mia Sayadian, a sophomore at CHS, described how her participation in SMMFC gave her a new outlook on the community.
“It brought into perspective how I can use my art to be more active in my community. By regarding nature in the Santa Monica Mountains, I got to display my pride in the incredible biodiversity in the area,” Sayadian said.
Sayadian chose to combine the environment of the Santa Monica mountains with a coyote in her artwork, showing both the animals with the backdrop of nature in which they live.
Sayadian also described how this event made her try something different in art, since she doesn’t usually draw animals.
“I rarely draw animals, so I decided this would be a good excuse to challenge myself by making a full piece that is focused on a coyote,” Sayadian said.
Together, these student-artists showed how one can pursue their passion and hobby while bringing awareness to a good cause. Hopefully, in the future, more artists will be inspired to use their ability to educate others.
