2022 Water Art Invitational

Twenty-four Prince William County high school students received awards during the Prince William County Service Authority’s 2022 Water Art Invitational on Thursday, March 10. Gabriela Molina Otaiza, a sophomore at Colgan High School, took home this year’s Grand Prize. Her submission, a realistic painting featuring a family of sea turtles, embodied this year’s theme, “Water: Our Most Precious Resource.”

“I think our most precious resource isn’t what only benefits us but what holds our planet and other organisms together,” said Molina Otaiza. “In this case, water is the protector for these turtles, seen as the mother shields her babies. They are depicted at a time of reunion where water is the vessel for connection.”

The 132 submissions for this year’s Water Art Invitational depict the many ways in which water is an indispensable natural resource and a crucial part of our daily lives. The artwork includes imagery of plants, animals, industry, recreation and more. Virtual galleries showcasing all of the artwork, as well as a recorded version of the awards ceremony, are available below.

“I have been part of the Water Art Invitational for many years, and each year the students rise to the challenge of using art to communicate the value of water,” said Joyce Eagles, the Service Authority Board member from the Woodbridge Magisterial District. “This year’s artwork features animals and plants relying on water, people walking miles to collect their drinking water and the many uses of water in industry and recreation. The students did an excellent job of drawing on their own experiences and knowledge.”

In addition to Molina Otaiza, several other students made waves during this year’s Water Art Invitational. Category and General Manager's Award Winners are as follows:

Photography:

First Place - Elle Hering, Colgan High School

Second Place - Amiya Johnson, C.D. Hylton High School

Third Place - Diana Navaz, Osbourn Park High School

Computer Graphics:

First Place - Ayanna Rowe, Colgan High School

Second Place - Ginny Dorjderem, Colgan High School

Third Place - Reese Bedinger, Battlefield High School

Painting & Drawing:

First Place - Sasha Jay Coley, Colgan High School

Second Place - Adeline Bishop, Colgan High School

Third Place - Kacey Kelly, Osbourn Park High School

General Manager's Awards:

Abigayle Nengel, Colgan High School

Adriana Perez, Osbourn Park High School

Alexie Faith Fabros Quijote, Colgan High School

Ashli Rodriguez, Colgan High School

Elena Truitt, Osbourn Park High School

Heather Rios, Osbourn Park High School

Isaiah Cole, Forest Park High School

Jai Park, Gainesville High School

Jessica Martinez, Colgan High School

Joseph Ryan Pifel, Osbourn Park High School

Kelsey Timmermans, Battlefield High School

Miranda Thorne, Woodbridge Senior High School

Nasaiba Binte Iqbal, C.D. Hylton High School

Nicole Nguyen, Colgan High School

Virtual Galleries:

Photography
Computer Graphics
Painting & Drawing

2022 Water Art Invitational Awards Ceremony