Slaney's colors shine through
<p>Post Falls High Senior Meaghan Slaney is among three finalists in the national Artsonia Idol Contest for high school students. The online competition started with more than 500 entrants.</p>
POST FALLS - Meaghan Slaney lets color do the talking. The Post Falls High School senior is among the top three finalists of the national Artsonia Idol Contest for high school students that began with more than 500 entrants.
POST FALLS - Meaghan Slaney lets color do the talking.
The Post Falls High School senior is among the top three finalists of the national Artsonia Idol Contest for high school students that began with more than 500 entrants.
"Color is the way I express myself," she said.
Voting for the online contest at artsonia.com ends Saturday. The judges and the public each make up 50 percent of the vote to determine the winner.
Entrants must submit art in five categories - Design, Imagination, People, Nature and Artist's Choice.
Slaney made the judges' cut to 50 entrants before the public helped narrow the field to 25, 12, six and now three.
"I was surprised that I made the top 50, but now that I'm so close I feel that I have it in me to win," she said.
Post Falls senior Steven Samph also made the top 50.
If Slaney wins, she'll get $1,000 worth of art supplies and $500 for her school's art program.
She said the money would come in handy this fall at Boise State University, where she'll major in art, because students must have their own supplies.
Along the way in the contest, Slaney won magnets and prints of her artwork and items at the Artsonia gift shop, but there are no prizes for second and third.
Slaney's favorite painting in the contest is a colorful portrait of her boyfriend Sean Campbell, a BSU student and Post Falls High grad, at a campsite near St. Maries.
"My teacher (Michelle Chimelewski) calls it 'The Green Guy', but I don't have a name for it yet," Slaney said. "It's definitely one in which I thought out of the box."
Another eye catcher is a goldfish looking out of a light bulb fish bowl.
Art has always been a passion for Slaney. She has been taking art classes since the seventh grade and, before that, she drew on her own time. She credits Chimelewski for helping her grow as an artist.
"She's opened my eyes to truly find out who I am as an artist and not just copying a picture," Slaney said.
People can vote in the contest by clicking on the art contest button on the right side of Artsonia's home page.
Information: www.artsonia.com