Youth Art Contest

Because children’s mental health matters!

The Children’s Feelings are a Work of Art – Youth Art Contest is an activity to raise awareness about children’s mental health in Denton County. We encourage children and teens across the county to participate in this art contest as we recognize the importance of children’s mental health to every person in our community.

2023 Youth Art Contest

December 2 – March 1, 2023

We invite all Denton County youth to enter this year’s Youth Art Contest with the theme “My feelings are a work of art.”

General Participation Guidelines:

The art contest is open to all school-aged children and teens in Denton County.
There are five art categories – visual arts, literature, photography, physical activity, and sculpture. Children/teens may submit up to one entry. See below for details about each category.
The artwork or literature must be the original work of a child/teen. This art contest is designed to encourage each child/teen to express themselves and their emotions. Help from an adult is not allowed, except in the Special Artist division.
- Special Artists/Authors are children who identify as having a disability. Special Artists may receive non-artistic accommodation and assistance from an adult.

Categories:

Visual Arts Guidelines

Visual Arts include many art forms that are visual in nature. The artist (child/teen submitting an entry) is a person who captures their own thoughts and ideas to create a visual piece of art.

Accepted forms of visual art include: original print, drawing, painting, collage, and computer-generated.

Literature Guidelines

Literature is the art of writing. The author (child/teen submitting an entry) is a person who expresses their own thoughts and ideas through the use of words.

Accepted forms of literature include: prose, poetry, reflective essay, narrative, or short story. Literature may be fiction or non-fiction. Literature must not be more than 2,000 words. Hand written and typed entries are accepted, one-sided only.

Photography Guidelines

Photography is the art or practice of taking and processing photographs. The artist (child/teen submitting an entry) is a person who captures their own thoughts and ideas through the use of photograph.

Portrait and landscape orientation photographs can be submitted. There is a possibility photos will be resized/cropped for display. For best results, submissions should be at least 900×720 pixels. Do NOT submit a photo with faces of anyone except the artist.

Physical Activity Guidelines

Physical activity is defined as using energy to create bodily movement. The artist (child/teen submitting an entry) is a person who expresses their own thoughts and ideas through movement.

Submissions in the physical activity category MUST be submitted via photograph. There is a possibility photos will be resized/cropped for display. For best results, submissions should be at least 900×720 pixels. Do NOT submit a photo with faces of anyone except the artist.

Sculpture Guidelines

Sculpture is the art of creating a three-dimensional image or representation. The artist (child/teen submitting an entry) is a person who expresses their own thoughts and ideas through the creation of the sculpture.

Submissions in the sculpture category MUST be submitted via photograph. There is a possibility photos will be resized/cropped for display. For best results, submissions should be at least 900×720 pixels.

Enter (parent signature required):

Enter the contest by completing the digital submission form – Don’t forget to upload a photo of your artwork – You will receive an automated email upon successful submission
Spanish forms are available for our Spanish speaking families – complete Entry Form and Artwork Release and submit with photo of artwork to watchdenton@cookchildrens.org
Send questions to alisa.quimby@cookchildrens.org

Save the Date:

Artwork will be displayed at our Art Gallery on Saturday, May 20, 2023
Stay tuned for location and more details

Questions can be directed to alisa.quimby@cookchildrens.org.

If you need to talk or if you are concerned about someone, please call the Denton County Crisis Hotline at 1-800-762-0157.

Winners from previous year’s art contests can be found below.

See 2022 Art Contest Winners Here!

In 2022, we received 98 entries from children in 20 different cities across Denton County. Here are the winning entries:

See 2021 Art Contest Winners Here!

In 2021, we received 51 entries from children in 12 different cities across Denton County. Here are the winning entries:

See 2020 Art Contest Winners Here!

In 2020, we received 247 entries from children in 21 different cities across Denton County.

Visual Arts (by grade)

Pre-K:

K-1:

2-3

4th

5th (tie)

6th

7-8

9-12

Visual Arts – Special Artist (by grade)

2-3

4th

5-6

7-8

Literature (by grade)

K-1

4th

12th

Photography (by grade)

4th

12th

Sculpture (by grade)

Pre-K

K-1

2-3

See 2019 Art Contest Winners Here!

In 2019, we received 47 entries from children in 13 different cities across Denton County!

2019 Contest Winners

Kindergarten – 1^st Grade Visual Art category

1st Place

My Colorful Emotions

Opshori, 6

“Like a tree has so many branches, I have so many emotions.”

2nd Place

Feelings!

Emma, 6

“me. my feelings someties I am full of energey like lightning. I feel happe. I feel jealous and mad.”

3rd Place

Happiness

Kazyn, 7

“I made it a really colorful happy work of art because that makes me happy.”

2^nd Grade – 4^th Grade Visual Arts category

1st Place

Failure of Innocence

Grace, 10

“The background represents feeling melding together because we don’t just feel happy or sad, we feel happy but overjoyed, maybe even a bit confused. My face for this self portrait is only showing touches of feeling for sometimes you feel only slightly with emotions as though a robot.”

2nd Place

Feelings with Colors

Lauren, 8

“It shows what you are feeling by color, like a mood ring.”

3rd Place

Feelings with Braxton

Brooks, 8

“The picture with the rainbow is happy! The picture with the rain is sad. Each day with Braxton felt like rainbows, and when I moved it made me feel like rain.”

5^th Grade – 8^th Grade Visual Arts category

1st Place

untitled

G, 14

“Since Im locked up and am about to be released, I feel ike I’m still following bad things.”

2nd Place

Lost in space

Casey, 13

“Sometimes I feel as if I am falling through space. Which can be terrifying because I feel there is no where to turn and nobody to turn to. However, it can beautiful all at the same time.”

3rd Place

untitled

Calyse, 11

“A slight struggle of having dyslexia, reading problems and not being able to comprehend some words that are difficult for me to read or pronounce.”

9^th Grade – 12^th Grade Visual Arts category

1st Place

Learning to Love my Reflection

J, 16

“Inspired by my younger sisters and my old self. I used to struggle with self image and loving/accepting myself for who I am. Throughout middle school I was bullied for not having perfect skin or straight teeth and I know many other teens (not just girls) struggle with their identity, appearance and other insecurities whether that be height, weight, sexuality, skin color, disabilities etc. With this piece I wanted to showcase that feeling and give a voice to those who do struggle with self love and self esteem and to know that they’re not alone.”

2nd Place

untitled

M, 15

“This is me traped because I can’t find a way to let my feelings escape and I hide my emotions from others.”

3rd Place

Save Me

M, 16

“its a hand Reaching for a key which represents myself Reaching for the key/meaning of my life and what i represent in the world with all these battle scars or past events that hurt me and helped me learn from mistakes ive made in my life. and the chained cuff Represents myself feeling like a slave to the world”

Literature category

1st Place

The Lamp

J, 16

“my poem represents teenage girls in today’s society and how most view themselves because of social media and their peers. But the girl (lamp) finding her inner light and becoming happy with whats on the the inside.”

Special Artist category

1st Place

untitled

Serenity, 8

“drawing herself and a apple tree. She is drawing flowers. Feeling happy”

2nd Place

untitled

Lola, 7

“My feeling is happy and I treat others how I want to be treated”

3rd Place

Sun

Kareem, 18

“Feelings”

See 2018 Art Contest Winners Here!

In 2018, we received 78 entries from children in xx different cities across Denton County.

2018 Art Contest winners

Visual Arts, grades K-1

1st Place “Outside” Angel Gabriel, age 6 I like to play outside with my big brother. It makes me happy to play soccer on a sunny day with him. I love my bother!	2nd Place “My many faces” Fernanda, age 7 I have many feelings, sometimes I am angry, sad, happy. I like being happy the most!
3rd Place “The Bird” Daniel, age 6 Feeling is soft and calm. The bird has different feather colors. They look like feelings.

Visual Arts, grades 2-4

1st Place “Sad Times” Jordan, age 8 There is a time (watch) to be sad and a time to be happy (rainbow). There is always a light of happiness at the end of any sad times.	2nd Place Makayla, age 8 It makes me feel good when I am there to help my friends.
3rd Place “All In or Nothing” Deshun, age 11 I like to work hard to achieve my goals. I am all in!

Visual Arts, grades 5-8

1st Place
“The Sea of Tears”
Olivia, age 13
Sometimes you pretend to be happy just to make sure people don’t worry about you, and not to make others sad.

2nd Place
“The World is in Color, but I’m in Black & White”
Madeline, age 12
My art shows that when you are feeling down or feel like you have no emotions, it feels like you’re black and white when the rest of the world is full of color and emotions.

3rd Place (tie)
“Feelings are More Than Words”
Maddie, age 12
My piece is about feelings that are in kids (mainly Middle School to High School) minds. It shows the joys and downs of them. It shows feelings are more than words!

3rd Place (tie)
“Flowering Feelings”
Anna, age 12
As a middle schooler, I experience so many different feelings that I believe this picture expresses them all. The inside of the flower represents my feelings and emotions. Part of my feelings are protected, just like the petals protect the center of the flower. Part of my feelings are expressed, just like some of the petals have opened to reveal the center. Each part of the flower is separated yet also interconnected. Each of my feelings and emotions are revealed at different times however they are all a part of me.

Visual Arts, grades 9-12

1st Place “Mind Noise” Summer, age 17 In this work, I am trying to demonstrate how mental illnesses like depression and anxiety make people feel. Most of the time, people struggling with these issues feel as if they can’t escape their own mind and that their brains are screaming at them and making them feel useless or making them second-guess themselves or their relationships with others.	2nd Place “Tunnel Vision” Jocelyn, age 16 This artwork represents the feelings that I feel with on a daily basis. As someone sho has Social Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder. I often feel like am trapped and my emotions take over.
3rd Place (tie) “Duality of the Heart” Ricardo, age 16 This drawing represents the battle my heart goes through with love.	3rd Place (tie) “The Lonely” Chloe, age 16 My human heart has been scarred and beaten many times but each time it comes back stronger.Maybe not as pretty but stronger. Many are afraid of the darkness, yet in the darkness you can heal without being burned again just like my heart has in this painting.

Literature, grade 2

1st Place
“Feelings”
Olivia, age 7
I wrote a poem about feelings because everyone has different kinds of feelings, and feelings are important.

2nd Place
“Go Along with the Heart”
Abhiram, age 8
I made the poem Go Along with the Heart. Some words in the poem were glad and mad. I highlighted the feelings words the color they stand for. For example, yellow stands for happiness or gladness and red stands for madness. Overall, I liked writing this poem.

Literature, grades 8-12

1st Place “Depression Feelings” Lily, age 14 It’s about depression and how it really is in the real world.	2nd Place Dominic, age 17 This is a poem on how I feel in this mysterious world.
3rd Place “Disappointment” Levi, age 17 It is about a boy (me) that is always trying to be good, but in the end he only seems to disappoint Him (step-dad). And soon he finely figures out how not to disappoint his stepfather.

See 2017 Art Contest Winners Here!

In 2017, we received 159 entries from children in 9 different cities across Denton County! Winning pieces of artwork and literature were on display across Denton County throughout 2017.

2017 Art Contest winners

Visual Arts, grades PreK-Kindergarten

First place: Natalia, age 4, “Me and my best friends”

Second place: Aliana, age 5, “Estoy triste (I am sad)”

Visual Arts, grades 1-2

First place: Jensen, age 6, “This Makes Me Feel Calm”

Visual Arts, grade 3

First place: Kamryn, age 9, “The Hart of Love & Hope”

Second place: Aiden, age 9, “Sad and mad”

Third place: Julian, age 9, “Spots of rainbow”

Visual Arts, grade 4

First place: Zoe, age 9, “exploding volcano”

Second place: Rachel, age 10, “Inside-Out”

Third place: Jaxon, age 10, “Ugly hair”

Visual Arts, grades 5-6

First place: Meera, age 12, “Confusion”

Second place: Daniella, age 11, “Many Feelings, Many Emojis”

Visual Arts, grades 7-8

First place: Phillip, age 14, “Heart U.S. Mind”

Second place: Vivien, age 13, “Escaping Reality”

Third place: Alyssa, age 13, “Part of Her”

Visual Arts, grades 9-12

First place: Nick, age 16, “Mind hunted”

Literature, grades 3-5

First place: Elliott, age 9, “My Feelings”

Literature, grades 7-9

First place: Maya, age 12, “Mom’s Car”

Literature, grades 10-12

First place: James, age 17, “CHAINED”

See 2016 Art Contest Winners Here!

In 2016, we received 113 entries from children in 17 different cities across Denton County! Winning pieces of artwork and literature are online and were on display across Denton County from May to August 2016 in recognition of Mental Health Month.

2016 Art Contest winners

Visual Arts, grades PreK-1

1st place Taryn, age 7 This picture makes me feel free. There is somewhere to run around and a home to return to.	2nd place Eli, age 5 “Anger” He’s mad. He is on fire, he likes to scream. He is angry.
3rd place Grace, age 7 “Think About Feelings” This is a picture of me feeling different emotions.	Honorable Mention Jakob, age 5 “Rainbow” I feel like a rainbow and I feel like a nice sun.

Visual Arts, grades 2-3

1st place Gabby, age 8 “Happy” People should be who they want to be. Love who they want to love and be happy.	2nd place Sophie, age 9 “Angerness” It is about anger being like a fire.
3rd place Aurora, age 9 “Love is what you want” My art work is about your heart. Love can be whatever you want. All you need is love. Love for everything.	Honorable Mention Delaney, age 8 “Love in Art” Two sisters watching the sunset, having a picnic. The two sisters show love in the picture. They are sitting on two little hills.

Visual Arts, grades 4-5

1st place
Lucy, age 9
“Emotions are Important”
Emotions are important. No matter what the feeling is they represent you and you are important.

2nd place
Ethan, age 11
“Anger”
The feelings I get when something makes me angry.

3rd place
Sam, age 9
“A Storm of Curiosity and Discovery”
Growing up is like wandering through a desert. The journey is filled with lots of wonderful things that I’m curious and I want to learn about. And it’s long, and it’s hard, and it’s lonely. Most of the time I feel happy and excited. And, some of the time, I feel lost and lonely, and like I’m barely finding my way. I think all these fellings are just right for growing up. The wonder and the emptiness make me explore to learn about myself. It’s the perfect “storm of curiosity and discovery”!

Honorable Mention
Karma, age 10
“Mona[me]sa”
My art work is representing me feeling being wonderful and vivid.

Visual Arts, grades 6-8

1st place Lilly, age 13 “Mixed Emotions” It’s a metaphor for your 2 worst emotions mixing into something good.	2nd place Lily, age 14 “Ocean” I represented sadness by making the person who is crying in black and white pencil, and the ocean of tears in blue water color, showing how even in times of colorless sadness, there is always colorful hope in the future.
3rd place Samantha, age 13 “Silhouette” A girl is going through a lot, the silhouettes are not helping even though they may think they are. Everything is in black and white but her thoughts are in screaming color.	Honorable Mention Meryl, age 12 “Endless Feelings” Endless feelings and moods, happy, sad, mad, sick, lonely, never ending.

Visual Arts, grades 6-8 (Special Artists)

1st place Alexander, age 14 “How I Feel When Mad”	2nd place Isela, age 12 “Me” I love my family <3
Honorable Mention Nuvia Shantel, age 13 “Winning at game day made me proud” Winning at game day made me proud because the best moment of my life was my old friends I’ve ever had even though I was wishing Tommy was their for him to see his old friend, I said.

Visual Arts, grades 9-11

1st place Aryana, age 16 “Standing Beauty” It’s almost never what it seems. Everything seems “fine”, but take a look withen…I’m telling the story of a girl who’s going through depression, Bipolar, Anorexia, and shitzophrenia. I have an idea on what it’s like…she’s a standing beauty. It’s a part of me.	2nd place Spence, age 17 “It’s not over yet” This picture characterizes my struggle with mental health. I’ve come to learn that the only monster I have to fear lives in my own head. And how I know I can win the fight with him.
3rd place Nancy, age 17 “The truth will set you free” The male in my drawing is going through a lot but refuses to tell people about his past.	Honorable Mention Johnathon, age 16 “Hope” Hope comes from many ways but the thing that gives me more hope is god.

Literature, grades 6-7

1st place Amelie, age 12 “A Masterpiece of Emotions” I have been writing for about two years and this is the first competition I have been in. Although my writing is different, I believe it can run the distance.	2nd place Austin, age 13 “Austin” This poem describes me, if you know me it fits me perfectly.
3rd place Samantha, age 12 “The Gun Shot” My work is a sad poem based on an experience I had as a kid.	Honorable Mention Marissa, age 12 “Attitude” I wrote it because that’s my attitude, but I should not be giving that attitude. It’s a diamond poem, the words crossed out are the attitude I should not give and the underlined are te ones I should.

Literature, grades 8-11

1st place Jasmine, age 17 “My World War 3” This is my story of my illness that locks on to so many. It’s a war many of us are fighting. Mental illness won’t win this time.	2nd place Andrew, age 15 “Is It” For people with mental health problems to know they’re not alone.
3rd place Katherine, age 14 “The Power of Love: A Sonnet” Love is such a beautiful virtue, it does such wonderful things, love is indeed the greatest commandment.	Honorable Mention Aries, age 14 “Bipolar Sanity” I wrote this poem out of frustration and anger but not having anyone to tell.

Youth Art Contest

Kindergarten – 1st Grade Visual Art category

2nd Grade – 4th Grade Visual Arts category

5th Grade – 8th Grade Visual Arts category

9th Grade – 12th Grade Visual Arts category

Literature category

Special Artist category

2018 Art Contest winners

Kindergarten – 1^st Grade Visual Art category

2^nd Grade – 4^th Grade Visual Arts category

5^th Grade – 8^th Grade Visual Arts category

9^th Grade – 12^th Grade Visual Arts category