Maura Nacey
Frank W. Cox High School
Ms. Van Veenhuyzen

Those That Separate Us

One of the most important things concerning the Holocaust was a lack of religious acceptance and understanding. Islam, Christianity, and Judaism all have the same God, and yet so much hate and misconceptions traverse between the populations who adhere to these religions. In today’s globalizing society, it is more important than ever to unite with one another and accept each individual, regardless of these differences we deem to be uncompromisable. The three hands with their respective charms represent their religions, with a string connecting them, representing religious ideals and a God who has bestowed them with life. 

Diana Nguyen
Tallwood High School
Ms. LaRoue

Perspectives

This painting symbolizes moving forward and looking ahead even through all the chaos occurring within the world while also remembering the past. I painted an earth within a head outline to represent the world within someone’s head. I did this to show that a person’s perspective on how they deal with problems in the world like tragic events such as the Holocaust determines how they overcome the obstacles that life throws at them.

Alexandra Niblo
Frank W. Cox High School
Ms. Van Veenhuyzen

The Final Climb

Back in 2017, I sadly lost a good friend of mine that I met in the mountains to depression through suicide. Without warning, I wish I could’ve been there more to help him through his struggles. I created this suicide awareness piece to show that there is always help. The national hotline has helped many and continues to help many daily. If you or someone you know needs help call 1-800-273-8255. Life may be tough, but it can get better.

Taylor Nixon
Tallwood High School
Mr. DeMott

Lehitbonen (Hebrew for Eye, Look, Gaze, Observe, and Contemplate)

Challenging the prompt, my purpose of this painting is to show the outwards events. It is my job as the artist to give visual renderings of my interpretations to make you feel certain things. It is the job of the audience to allow themselves to feel; to look into their own souls and let what others have experienced to have (or not have) a lasting impact on themselves. In the end, this isn’t about the Holocaust Survivors. It’s about us and our sympathy, our compassion, our remembrance. Our humanity and love towards those who were mistreated, then and now. The eye not only allows you to get a glimpse into its soul, but also stares intensely right back at you. What you get from my painting, how you use it, whether to build or destroy, is up to you. All I can say is to use it wisely. 

Manon Pelome
Frank W. Cox High School
Ms. Van Veenhuyzen

Hope’s Child

There are two meanings for this piece. The first one is that during the war, many Jewish children were hidden by their parents before they were taken away to concentration camps. The second is that children evoke hope, there are also birds for freedom and flowers and beautiful clouds for happiness and everything that is good, similar to heaven, reason why it’s on top. But on the bottom everything hellish is there; imprisonment, death...The mother, captured by the Nazis, is getting separated but is also trying to reach her child, and also hope. 
 
 

Andy Qian *1^st Place (Tie) - Senior Visual Arts
Cape Henry Collegiate School
Mr. Warden

Struggle for Freedom

This oil painting shows a scene from the evil and dark Holocaust. Hands with scars and dust are holding the bars of the cage tightly - they are trying to get rid of the control and limitation. A middle aged man is leaning on the pillar of his cage, sighing and groaning, looking for the freedom and equality he seeks but is not able to have. He is hopeless, as the dark background indicates. Now, in this world, people are often isolated by different kinds of prejudice. Like this artwork shows, people are suffering from the pain but are not able to find relief. 

Margarita Tsotakou
Frank W. Cox High School
Ms. Van Veenhuyzen
Holocaust, It Takes Time to Heal

This art piece represents the Holocaust. This event affected many people’s lives around the world and it’s something that shouldn’t be forgotten or repeated. The book is all of our history, and the Holocaust is part of it. On this page there is a piece of a poem by Bharati Nayak which refers to the Holocaust and talks about how long it will take for people to heal. I took words out of the poem that created an image in my mind and turned them into art. The flower has a half-burnt stem and a Band-aid on it which represents the effect it had on people, and the time it will take to get better.

Hannah Whalen
Frank W. Cox High School
Ms. Van Veenhuyzen

White Rose Mandala

This piece is inspired by the bravery of Sophie Scholl. She was a young girl who stood up for what she believed in, even though it cost her life. My piece is inspired by the White Rose pamphlet that Sophie and her brother distributed. I wood burned a white rose in the center and surrounded it with the Star of David. Outside of the star is a ring of text from Sophie’s White Rose pamphlet. The numbers on the outside represent the tattooed identifications the Jews received during the Holocaust. Sophie and I are alike that we are two women who stand up for what we believe is right. Last summer I went to St. Louis for a march to end cash bail. This was my way of standing up for the less fortunate. The whole experience was surreal to me; when we were walking people were singing and shouting the words ‘freedom’ over and over again. It was truly inspiring, and I am in awe by what Sophie did in writing the White Rose with her brother. 

Elliana Wilson
Granby High School
Ms. Taylor-Martin

Lack of Liberty

Alana Young
Frank W. Cox High School
Ms. Van Veenhuyzen

White Peace

This piece consists of a dove flying upwards into the sky with lavender scattered at the bottom of the piece. On the outside, these elements often are seen as beautiful, however, the focus of this piece was what they represented on the inside. The dove represents peace, with it being white it is also meant to represent new beginnings. Because of the meaning, I had the dove fly up to the sky, based on the idea of heaven and how death is often seen as a peaceful time where loved ones and pets are going to a so-called ‘better place.’ Lavenders represents silence and purity. Death is sometimes a silent occurrence, most commonly with someone of old age. This further pushes the idea that death is peaceful, as the individuals from the Holocaust have been sent to a better place. The survivors of the Holocaust inspire me to push through my own issues by reminding me that in this day and age, even though it may not seem like it, things could be worse. It helps me think about how grateful I am to live in a society where extreme racism is no longer a large occurrence.

Amanda Zhang
Cape Henry Collegiate School
Mr. Warden

A Devil of Justice

The Japanese soldier is standing with a knife over a tied up Chinese citizen, this image is based on a real photo I saw. A devil is over the Japanese soldier with its mouth open, about to eat him. The devil represents the feelings this picture created in me, as I want to go to that historical moment to eat that Japanese soldier and make him disappear from earth. As I can’t do that, I sent the devil to do it for me. The devil represents justice to me. Many people in the United States don’t even know what happened in the Pacific War during World War II, and I just wanted to use art to educate them about this cruel event that should never be forgotten.