YOUNG MASTERS EXHIBITION
Since 1995, the O’Donnell Foundation and the Dallas Museum of Art have generously sponsored the Young Masters Exhibition. The Young Masters Fine Arts Exhibition celebrates the knowledge and creativity of students in each grant program: AP Art History, Music Theory and Studio Art. Integrating all three disciplines at this prestigious event reinforces both the interconnectedness of the arts and the mission of the O’Donnell Foundation’s incentive program, Create Schools of Excellence in Fine Arts Education.
2018 YOUNG MASTERS EXHIBITION
The 2018 Young Masters, AP fine arts exhibition was on display February 25-April 15, 2018 in the Concourse Gallery of the Dallas Museum of Art. All registered high school AP fine arts students who were currently enrolled (2017-18) or who were formerly enrolled (2015-17) in the O'Donnell Foundation incentive grant and passed the College Board AP fine arts exam(s) were invited to submit the following works for the exhibition:
- AP Art History – an original essay in response to a work in the DMA’s permanent collection
- AP Music Theory – an original four minute composition
- AP Studio Art – an original two-dimensional or three-dimensional art work

Through the creation of art, artists from across time and place draw upon themes, such as power and authority, war and death, individual or group identity, and issues of gender. Artists, as representatives of their unique culture, execute works of art based on a worldview shaped by religious ideologies and politico-socioeconomic realities. AP Art History students participating in the ODF AP Fine Arts Grant were challenged to write a 450-550 word essay by selecting and fully identifying one work of art currently on view from the permanent collection at the Dallas Museum of Art, considered canonical, and applicable to the College Board AP Art History course. The essay must include specific reference to the chosen work of art and analyze how the artist addresses a theme of your choosing in ways that resonate within the artist’s own culture
From 667 submissions for the 2018 Dallas Museum of Art AP fine arts exhibition, four AP Arts History student essays were included among the sixty-four selected works. The Young Masters exhibition was on view February 24-April 15, Concourse Gallery. An evening reception and recognition ceremony was held at the DMA on Tuesday, March 6, 2018.
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Sanika Bhave
Grapevine High School
Skyway: A Living History
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Robert Rauschenberg (American, 1925-2008)
Skyway, 1964
Oil and silkscreen on canvas
Dallas Museum of Art, The Roberta Coke Camp Fund, The 500, Inc., Mr. and Mrs. Mark Shepherd, Jr., and General Acquisitions Fund, 1986.8.a-b
Located in the Atrium, Level 1
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Anthony Jiang
Plano West Senior High School
Struck by Beauty, Struck by Tragedy: Alexandre Hogue's Drouth Stricken Area
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Alexandre Hogue (American, 1898-1994)
Drouth Stricken Area, 1934
Oil on canvas
Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase, 1945.6
Located in the American Art Galleries, Level 4
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Ryaan Kara
Grapevine High School
Unswerving Power in the Congo
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Standing power figure (nkisi nkondi), late 19th-early 20th century, Yombe peoples
Wood, iron, raffia, ceramic, pigment, kaolin, red camwood, resin, dirt, leaves, animal skin, and cowrie shell
Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of the McDermott Foundation, 1996.184.FA
Located in the Arts of Africa Galleries, Level 3
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Jacqueline Wei
Plano West Senior High School
The Sensational and the Sublime: An Examination of Frederic Church's Arctic Masterpiece
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Frederic Edwin Church (American, 1826-1900)
The Icebergs, 1861
Oil on canvas
Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Norma and Lamar Hunt, 1979.28
Located in the American Art Galleries, Level 4
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Sixty-five works were selected from 896 submissions for the 2017 Dallas Museum of Art AP fine arts exhibition, February 25-April 16, Concourse Gallery. An evening reception and recognition ceremony was held at the DMA on Wednesday, March 29, 2017.
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Natalie Crenwelge
Booker T. Washington HSPVA
Plaque with Single Figure
(Audio of Natalie reading her essay on Benin plague)
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Plaque with single figure, 16th–17th century
Nigeria, Benin peoples
Copper alloy (brass or bronze)
Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc., 2005.38.McD
Located in the African Art Galleries, Level 3, DMA
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Lauren Edwards
Grapevine High School
An Abstraction of Time
(Audio of Lauren reading her essay on Murphy's Watch)
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Gerald Murphy (American, 1888–1964)
Watch, 1925
Oil on canvas
Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of the artist, 1963.75.FA
Located in the American Art Galleries, Level 4, DMA
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Christina Lu
Plano West Senior High School
Strength in the Kneeling
(Audio of Christina reading her essay on Olowe of Ise)
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Olowe of Ise (Nigerian, 1875–1938)
Kneeling female figure with bowl (olumeye), c. 1910–c. 1938
Nigeria, Yoruba peoples
Wood, pigment, and paint
Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc., 2004.16.McD
Located in the African Art Galleries, Level 3, DMA
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Megan Shen
Plano West Senior High School
An Artist's Reality
(Audio of Megan reading her essay on Giacometti's work.)
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Alberto Giacometti (Swiss, 1901–1966)
Three Men Walking, 1948–1949
Bronze
Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Marcus, 1975.86.FA
Located in the European Art Galleries, Level 2, DMA
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Tiffany Sims
Grapevine High School
Romantic Portrayal of Conflict: Anything but Romantic
(Audio of Tiffany reading her essay on Chasseriau's work.)
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Théodore Chassériau (French, 1819–1856)
Battle of Arab Horsemen Around a Standard, 1854
Oil on canvas
Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, Mrs. John B. O’Hara Fund, 2003.40.FA
Located in the European Art Galleries, Level 2, DMA
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Sixty works were selected from 858 submissions for the 2016 Dallas Museum of Art AP fine arts exhibition, February 27-April 17, Concourse Gallery. An evening reception and awards ceremony will be held on Wednesday, March 30, 2016, at the DMA. Dr. Richard Brettell will be the guest speaker. He is the Founding Director, The Edith O'Donnell Institute of Art History, Margaret McDermott Distinguished Chair of Art and Aesthetics Studies, Co-Director, Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Museums (CISM) at UTD.
Matthew Farley
Plano East Senior High School
A Sublime Painter and His Landscape of Terror
(Audio of Matthew reading his
essay on Vernet's work)
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Mountain Landscape with an Approaching Storm, 1775
Claude-Joseph Vernet (French, 1714-1789)
Oil on canvas
Dallas Museum of Art
Foundation for the Arts Collection, Mrs. John B. O'Hara Fund
1983.41.FA
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Taylor Gaudet
Colleyville Heritage High School
Unyielding
(Audio of Taylor reading her essay on
Rodin's work) |
Jean d'Aire from the Burghers of Calais, completed 1895
(plaster by 1885, cast in the early 20th century)
Auguste Rodin (French, 1840-1917)
Bronze
Dallas Museum of Art, given in memory of Louie N. Bromberg and
Mina Bromberg by their sister Essie Bromberg Joseph, 1981.1
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Karli Livingston
Grapevine High School
Elephant Mask:The Masquerade and Its Power
(Audio of Karli reading her essay
on Elephant Mask.)
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Elephant Mask (mbap mteng), 1920-1930
Cameroon, Bamileke peoples
Palm leaf fiber textile, cotton textile, glass beads, and palm leaf ribs
Dallas Museum of Art, Textile Purchase Fund, 1991.54.1
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Jesse Tan
Plano West Senior High School
Memorializing Triumph and Victory
(Audio of Jesse reading his essay
on the Roman sarcophagus)
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Battle sarcophagus, c. A.D. 190
Roman
Marble
Dallas Museum of Art, the Cecil and Ida Green Acquisition Fund
and gift of anonymous donor
1999.107
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Halle Tielkemeier
Grapevine High School
Reliquary Guardian Figure
(Audio of Halle reading her essay
on the guardian figure) |
Reliquary guardian figure (eyema-0-byeri), 1800-1860
Gabon, Fang peoples
Wood
Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott
Art Fund, Inc., 2000.3.McD |
2015 AP Art History Young Masters

Sixty-one works were selected from 750 submissions for the 2015 Young Masters AP fine arts exhibition. An evening reception and awards ceremony was held on Tuesday, March 3rd at the Dallas Museum of Art. Dr. Alessandra Comini, University Distinguished Professor of Art History Emerita at SMU,served as guest speaker.
Amy Ong
Plano West Sr. High School
Eternal Regalia (Essay Audio)
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Helmet mask (mukenga), mid-20th century
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kuba peoples
Raffia, wood, cowrie shells, beads, parrot feathers, and goat hair
Dallas Museum of Art, gift in honor of Peter Hanszen Lynch
and Cristina Martha Frances Lynch, 1998.11
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Hawley Young
Grapevine High School
Plaques, Propaganda, and Power
(Essay Audio)
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Plaque with single figure, 16th – 17th century
Nigeria, Edo peoples
Copper alloy (brass or bronze)
Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott
Art Fund, Inc., 2005.38.McD
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2014 DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART EXHIBITION
The final works and award winners for each program were selected by a panel of art historians, panel of musicians, and a panel of artists. The Young Masters Exhibition was held February 8-April 27, 2014, in the Concourse Gallery of the Dallas Museum of Art. An evening reception and awards ceremony honoring the 2014 Young Masters and their teachers was held on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 in the Atrium Cafe and Horchow Auditorium. Dr. Maxwell Anderson, the Eugene McDermott Director, DMA, welcomed awardees, their teachers, and invited guests. Gigi Antoni, Big Thought President/CEO, was the evening's honored speaker. Click here to read Ms. Antoni's speech.


YouTube - AP Strategies Fine Arts Channel Pinterest
2014 AP ART HISTORY YOUNG MASTERS
Paige Gregor, HONORABLE MENTION

The People Behind Their Masks
Teacher: Miriam Christman
School: McKinney Boyd High School
Click here to listen to a reading of The People Behind Their Masks by Paige Gregor.
Click here to read The People Behind Their Masks.
Grace Hann, HONORABLE MENTION

The Analysis of Power and Authority: The Headwear Decoration of African and Indonesian Art
Teacher: Miriam Christman
School: McKinney Boyd High School
Click here to listen to a reading of The Analysis of Power and Authority by Grace Hann.
Click here to read The Analysis of Power and Authority.
Amy Ong, SECOND PLACE

Guardians of the Dead
Teacher: Douglas Darracott
School: Plano West Senior High School
Click here to listen to a reading of Guardians of the Dead by Amy Ong.
Click here to read Guardians of the Dead.
Anant Tibrewal, THIRD PLACE

Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde? An Inquisition into the Innate Nature of Humanity
Teacher: Monica Winters
School: Coppell High School
Click here to listen to a reading of Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde? An Inquisition into the Innate Nature of Humanity by Anant Tibrewal.
Click here to read Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde?
Emily White, FIRST PLACE

Maidenhood and Motherhood
Teacher: Allison Steinberg
School: Richardson High School
Click here to listen to a reading of Maidenhood and Motherhood by Emily White.
Click here to read Maidenhood and Motherhood.
2013 YOUNG MASTERS EXHIBITION
Works by 2013 Young Masters were exhibited December 22, 2012 through February 17, 2013 at the Dallas Museum of Art in the Concourse Gallery. An evening reception honoring the Young Masters and their teachers was held Tuesday, February 5, 2013.
Guest speaker was Maxwell L. Anderson, The Eugene McDermott Director of the Dallas Museum of Art.
Click to view the YouTube Video of 2013 Young Masters Awards Ceremony - DMA Horchow Auditorium
Benjamin Lee - FIRST PLACE

The Face of Rain
Teacher: Tiffany Thurman
School: Plano Senior High School
Click here to listen to a reading of The Face of Rain by Benjamin Lee.
Click here to read The Face of Rain.
Click here to listen to interview with Quin Matthews, Art Matters, February 5, 2013.
Stephanie Chen - SECOND PLACE

Greetings to the Sea
Teacher: Tiffany Thurman
School: Plano Senior High School
Click here to hear a reading of Greetings to the Sea by Stephanie Chen.
Connor Frew - THIRD PLACE

Inua: The Cycle of the Soul
Teacher: Miriam Christman
School: McKinney Boyd
Click here to listen to a reading of Inua: The Cycle of the Soul by Connor Frew.
Click here to read Inua: The Cycle of the Soul.
Macy Huang - HONORABLE MENTION

Harmony with the Earth and Sky
School: Plano Senior High School
Click here to listen to a reading of Harmony with the Earth and Sky by Macy Huang.
Click here to read Harmony with the Earth and Sky.
2012 YOUNG MASTERS AP ARTS AND MUSIC EXHIBITION
The O'Donnell Foundation and the Dallas Museum of Art hosted the Young Masters AP arts and music exhibition for the fourteenth year. The exhibition was held February 5 - April 8, 2012 in the Concourse Gallery. An evening reception for the Young Masters, family members, teachers, and invited guests was celebrated on Tuesday, February 28th, 2012 in the Atrium Café and Concourse Gallery. Winning students and teachers were introduced and honored in an awards ceremony held in the Horchow Auditorium during the evening reception. The guest speaker was Olivier Meslay, DMA Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs.
Amy Jenkins -- Honorable Mention
Embracing Reality
Teacher: Christian Reid
School: Plano East Senior High School
Click here to listen to a reading of Embracing Reality by Amy Jenkins
Maisie O'Brien -- First Place
Of Stone and Stars
Teacher: Charlotte Chambliss
School: Booker T. Washington HSPVA
Click here to listen to a reading of Of Stone and Stars by Maisie O'Brien
Adeleye Omotosho -- Third Place
A Blueprint of the Modern Age
Teacher: Christian Reid
School: Plano East Senior High School
Click here to listen to a reading of A Blueprint of the Modern Age by Adeleye Omotosho
Sylvan Perlmutter -- Second Place
Battle of Arab Horsemen Around a Standard
Teacher: Kenneth Fulton
School: J.J. Pearce High School
Click here to listen to a reading of Battle of Arab Horsemen Around a Standard by Sylvan Perlmutter
Chloe Shay -- Honorable Mention
The Jazz Culture
Teacher: Jacie Moore
School: Lovejoy High School
Click here to listen to a reading of The Jazz Culture by Chloe Shay
2011 YOUNG MASTERS AP ARTS AND MUSIC EXHIBITION
The thirteenth Young Masters Exhibition was held February 26 - April 17, 2011 in the Concourse Gallery. An evening reception for the students, their families and their teachers celebrated the exhibition on Tuesday, March 29th, 2011 in the Atrium Café. Winning students and teachers were introduced and honored in an awards ceremony held in the Horchow Auditorium during the reception evening.
Dylan Airey -- First Place
A Bridge Between the Ages
Teacher: Monica Winters
School: Coppell High School
Click here to listen to a reading of A Bridge Between the Ages by Dylan Airey
Akbar Sajjad -- Third Place
All Alone: A Perspective
Teacher: Stacy Hunt
School: Creekview High School
Click here to listen to a reading of All Alone: A Perspective by Akbar Sajjad
Anisha Srivastava -- Second Place
Art as a Window into History