Avery Dumovic with "Look Deeper"
From Cherry Valley Elementary to a nationwide art competition, fifth grade student Avery Dumovic has experienced quite the journey with her four-panel art piece, “Look Deeper.” Recently, Avery earned a Reflections PTA National Award of Merit in honor of her work.
Each fall, hundreds of Riverview students create art pieces as part of the annual PTA Reflections Competition. Focusing on a common theme, the work is evaluated by local judges and community members, first at individual school-wide competitions and then at a district-wide Reflections gala in January. From there, first-place recipients advance to a state-level competition, with a select number of those entries moving on to the national Reflections competition in the spring. Working with this year’s theme of “Show Your Voice!”, for Avery and “Look Deeper,” this has been a fun and unexpected six-month process.
“Look Deeper” is a striking visual piece, at once familiar, unique and distinctive. In her artist statement accompanying her work, Avery shared that she often speaks through her art.
“I tried to express my voice and emotions through art. I purposely did not draw faces to make you think about how our body language connects to feelings. To understand emotions, we should look deeper than facial expressions or what people say. I can relate to all these emotions, and I am hoping other people will too.”
Earning an Award of Merit at the National PTA Reflections competition places Avery in the company of just 15 Washington students to earn recognition in the national contest. Of those 15 students, Avery is one of three students to earn national recognition from our state in the “Visual Arts” category, and one of just two in her grade division.
Riverview’s Director of Communications, Mike Ward, had a chance to interview Avery regarding “Look Deeper” and her receiving a Reflections PTA National Award of Merit.
Q: What was the inspiration for “Look Deeper”? Are there one or two things that gave you the first ideas in creating it?
A: When I start to create a piece, I never know where it is going to go. I often reflect on my art, after it is done, and think about what it means. My art just kind of flows from inside.
Q: How has this Reflections experience been for you? You’ve competed in various levels of competition and received a lot of feedback. Has it been overwhelming, exciting…both, maybe?
A: I wanted very much to win. I also knew I would be competing against a lot of deserving artists. Once I got to Nationals and knew I would be competing against students older than me, I was not sure if I would be recognized or not.
Q: Is art something you create in your spare time? What other hobbies or interests do you have which may or may not include art?
A: I love art and I draw and paint all the time. I also love soccer! My teammates call me Beast… I think it’s accurate.
On behalf of all the Riverview students who participated in this year’s Reflections competition and shared their work with our Riverview Community, we congratulate Avery Dumovic on her Reflections PTA National Award of Merit and for reminding us all to “look deeper.”