National Artist Winner Chooses MSUM
By Lexi Byler, Marketing Intern
West Fargo Sheyenne High School graduate Megan Vetter had a great start to her summer by winning the 2016 National Young American Creative Patriotic Art Competition in June. Sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, the competition encourages patriotism and recognizes promising young artists. Thousands of high school students around the country enter the contest.
“I’ve always liked doing art. I really got into it senior year when I did an individual art study at school,” Vetter said.
Sponsored by the VFW Auxiliary 7564 in West Fargo, the winning piece is titled, “He Remembers, Remember Him.”
“This piece embodies the quiet subtleness of a veteran, someone who is often white-washed into society, walking [around] unrecognized. The black and white tones and incredible detail emphasize the veteran’s age, boldly stressing that this is a man who wears his life with pride. To the right, the veteran’s face begins to deteriorate or fade away, creating a double meaning. This symbolizes how memories ferment for a lifetime, and can eat away at a soldier’s mind as well as how veterans fade away if a nation neglects them.”
Vetter entered the contest at the end of her senior year and was notified as the winner through email in June. She received a $10,000 college scholarship and now is a student at MSUM.
“I wanted some place familiar where I could feel out if I wanted to be super serious about art. MSUM is a place where I can discover and learn,” said Vetter.
Although she’s majoring in studio art, she isn’t limiting her options and is also considering an English degree. Like most freshmen, there’s potential for her major to change. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, around 80 percent of college students change their major at least once prior to graduating. Whatever she decides, art will always be something she’s passionate about.
“Even if I don’t continue it as a career choice, I’d incorporate it into my everyday life,” she said.
To see Vetter’s piece, visit: https://vfwauxiliary.org/scholarships/young-american-creative-patriotic-art-contest/first-place/.