Art teacher and Region 10N director Gina Mock and student artists will host a Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE) at the high school Saturday, Feb. 16.

The VASE event also will include an art show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in both gyms and the arena.

“We have 2,224 student entries for this event,” Mock said. “We serve the schools in the area of Region 10N, which includes McKinney, Plano, Frisco, Celina, private schools and outlying schools.”

Student artwork that receives a “four,” the highest possible score, will continue on to the art show. Artists are placed in divisions based on their course credit.

“There are four divisions that the students are separated by,” Mock said. “Division I is the lowest number of art credits with Division IV being the highest number – or Advanced Placement Art.”

Students are required to have an eight-minute interview before their work advances to the art show.

“Once the art show closes at 2 p.m., we bring the jurors into the gyms and have them judge the work for state,” Mock said. “Division I artwork will be in Gym One, Division II Artwork will be in Gym Two, and Division III and IV will be in the arena. A percentage of artwork receiving a four can advance to state.”

Artwork that advances past this weekend’s event will be sent to San Marcos in April for the state event.

“Those that score a four at state earn a medal and a small percentage of those works are selected as gold seal awards,” Mock said.  “The Gold Seal winning work then goes on a traveling exhibition across the state of Texas until the TAEA conference in November.”

According to the high school VASE website, this January marked the 25th season of the event.

“This event requires a huge force of volunteers to help it run smoothly,” Mock said. “I would strongly encourage attending the art show so you get a taste of the caliber of talented students presenting their artwork.”

Student artists are allowed to enter two pieces each.

“I entered one piece,” sophomore Rachana Mohan said. “It is a photograph of ice frozen on a branch to show the textures and various colors.”

For more information about the VASE program as well as rules and scholarship information, students can visit the Texas Art Education Association website.

“This is my first year competing,” sophomore Serenity Baldwin said. “I’m most excited to see all the different pieces of art, and just the overall experience.”