Standout Spartans: Julia Rhamy and Morgan Smartt

Two Spartan artists received kudos from The Scholastic Art and Writing Competition, the nation's longest-running educational initiative supporting student achievement in the visual and literary arts. The Scholastic Art Competition is a regional and national program that is organized in our region by The Visual Art Center of Richmond. 

Congratulations to Morgan Smartt ’25, who received a Gold Key award for their artwork titled “The Crash?” and Julia Rhamy ’26, who received an Honorable Mention for her artwork titled “Chlorine.” 

“My artwork was inspired after I was hit by a reckless driver and the explosion of emotions that I had to process throughout everything,” explained Morgan. “I wanted to convey just that: so many bright colors and shapes that you feel overwhelmed with everything. The letters flying around in the background were an actual part of the scene, too: Upon impact, the alphabet magnet set I was taking to Goodwill flew to the front of the car. I like to think of that as a depiction of my jumbled mind at the time.”

Julia’s piece, a collage, represents her floating in a pool. The background is made out of magazine scraps and the portrait was created with charcoal. 

“I think one of the best things about creating art is being able to express myself without using words,” said Julia. “It is a nice outlet and helps me stay grounded, especially during the busier parts of the school year. The freedom it offers — since there is no right or wrong — is also nice.”

In February, the Visual Arts Center of Richmond hosted an exhibition and reception to honor all of the art and writing works. Morgan attended and said, “It was an incredible experience to be surrounded by so many artists and experience their individual stories through their pieces.”

Congratulations to these talented Spartans!