By SanTan Sun News STAFF
A Chandler teenager is getting national recognition for her artistic ability.
Cassidy Potts, 17, who was a senior at Hamilton High School at the time, received the American Visions Award, presented by Scholastic Publishing.
As part of the Young American Artists and Authors competition, the American Visions Award is given to the first place entry in every region. Potts is the 2017 winner for the Arizona region and she was expected to travel with her parents and her art teacher to Carnegie Hall in New York City to accept her national medal this month. The honor is given to 2,500 students a year.
The Young American Artists award is the highest national honor awarded to art students in grades 7-12. Scholastic gives medals every year to outstanding artists and authors. A panel of experts judges all the work and does it anonymously. More than 330,000 entries were turned in this year. Previous winners include artist Andy Warhol; novelist, screenwriter and playwright Truman Capote; and actress, writer, producer and director Lena Dunham.
Potts’ parents are Clint and Shelly Potts and her art teacher is Karen Tabor. Her winning piece, called “Empathy,” depicts a crying African-American woman, surrounded by current newspaper headlines, and it addresses racial injustice and inequality. The four-by-four canvas recently concluded a public display at the art gallery of the Chandler Center for the Arts, and will be shown among other winning artwork in New York during the ceremonies. Potts is planning to go to Arizona State University in the fall and wants to continue her studies in art.
