The Kentucky Derby Museum is pleased to announce the Grand Prize Winner of the 37th annual Horsing Around With Art (HAWA) competition, presented by WinStar Farm: Hadley Klusman, a Junior at Mercy Academy.
Photographers and reporters were on hand Wednesday morning, when leaders from the Museum and Mercy Academy surprised Klusman at school with a dozen red roses and the news that she was the HAWA Grand Prize Winner for 2023. She also received the “Spring Race Day Experience” prize package, sponsored by Churchill Downs, which includes a table on Millionaires Row, a race named after Klusman, and the opportunity to present a trophy in the Winner's Circle to the first place horse and jockey. The Museum also awarded Mercy Academy with a $500 prize for art supplies.
The HAWA Grand Prize is awarded to the artist whose work best captures the spirit of the Kentucky Derby. Klusman's artwork, entitled “Roses & Juleps,” showcases several iconic Kentucky Derby traditions all in one still life composition. Churchill Downs Racetrack President, Mike Anderson, said Klusman's piece embodied simple elegance and “captures the essence of the Kentucky Derby.” Her winning artwork will be professionally framed and put on display at the Museum for the next year.
This year, nearly 200 students in grades 1-12 from Louisville Metro public, private, and parochial schools entered the juried contest, which showcases the students' take on the Kentucky Derby in various artistic styles and mediums. All 192 entries, from 29 different schools, will be on display starting January 19 through May 12. The public can view the artwork, which will be on exhibit in the Matt Winn Gallery, with a general admission ticket to the Museum.
“All the students should be very proud of what they created for this year's Horsing Around With Art competition,” said Pat Armstrong, Kentucky Derby Museum President and CEO. “Supporting the arts through this program is a tradition we look forward to every year at the Kentucky Derby Musem. We were amazed by the creativity, and we're so proud to display all their hard work and talent for everyone to see!”
In total, Kentucky Derby Museum is giving out 52 awards, from the Grand Prize to Distinctive Awards, Divisional Awards, and Honorable Mentions. Depending on the award, student winners will receive various prizes, including a private tour of historic Hermitage Farm, a workshop led by Master Milliner Jenny Pfanenstiel, gift certificates for art supplies, a chance to tour the Backside at Churchill Downs, passes to Old Friends Farm, a tour of WinStar Farm, a Derby Museum Membership package, and Derby Museum Store gift certificates. The Museum will also award a total of $6,300 to the winning schools' art departments.
Click here to view a list of all the winning students. All winners and exhibiting students will be recognized in a special ceremony hosted by Kentucky Derby Museum on Tuesday, Feb. 21.
Judging took place Friday, January 13, and included: Patrick Armstrong, Kentucky Derby Museum (KDM) President & CEO; Mike Anderson, Churchill Downs Racetrack President; Jenny Pfanenstiel, Official Mlliner of the Kentucky Derby; Linzay Marks, WinStar Farm Marketing Director; Kathy Bloch and Kathy Thistleton, KDM Outriders Volunteer Program members; Jordan Turpin, Fund for the Arts Manager of Community Investment & Support; Joanna Miller, Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft Director of Education; Debbie Shannon, local artist; and Rickelle Nelson, KDM Horsemen's Relations & Reservation Manager.
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