For the third year in a row, OVS student Wendy Lazo-Dowdy won the honor of having her Chinese New Year postcard sent throughout the world.
This soft, yet powerful, painting was the winning design for Ojai Valley School’s annual Chinese New Year postcard competition.
“Wendy’s artwork captured the Year of the Earth Pig in such a playful and creative way that it really impressed the judges, who are comprised of members of the Admissions and Development office,” said OVS Director of Advancement and Admission, Tracy Wilson.
Each year, OVS celebrates the holiday, known as the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year, by sending postcards to Chinese families. For the past four years, the school has held a competition to choose the cover art for the postcards.
To participate, art students from both the Upper and Lower campuses can submit their work in hopes of being chosen.
Wendy, a third-year art student, decided to take a new approach to this year’s competition. Known for her detailed, intricate designs, Wendy chose a design that was more refined, yet still festive.
Wendy is in disbelief she won again.
“It’s a flying pig, but then I added a stork element. The pig has a cloth carrying the world in it,” Wendy explained.
After Wendy’s artwork was selected, Ms. Wilson coordinated the physical and digital greeting cards as a way to connect with international families.
While the physical postcards are only sent to Chinese families, the e-versions are sent all over the world, to more than 3,000 people. OVS currently has students representing 10 countries: Russia, China, Japan, Korea, Germany, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Taiwan, and the United States.
“It feels really nice,” Wendy said.
Although these postcards are made to celebrate the heritage of many OVS families, they are also a great way to showcase the talents of art students from both campuses. Wendy is now one of the few students whose art has been on display in this manner.
In previous years, students from both campuses have been picked. Ellen Liu, who graduated in 2014 and now attends Brown and the Rhode Island School of Design, had her design picked for the Year of the Snake. The following year, the Year of the Horse, featured a design by lower student Bella Slosberg. In 2016, the Year of the Horse, Misaki Kobayashi’s painting was chosen.
Each year, a committee convenes to choose the cover art, and this year, Wendy’s painting stood out.
“The judges did not know it was Wendy’s work, but in reviewing all the pieces submitted by the art students over the break, her whimsical pig stood out from the others. It was the clear winner,” Ms. Wilson said.
When the committee chooses each year, they don’t know whose art is whose, which is why Wendy being chosen for three years straight is so impressive.
The members of the committee weren’t the only ones to recognize Wendy’s talent.
Upper Campus art teacher Chia Hersk enjoyed the painting, as it was perfect representation of Wendy’s art ability.
When Wendy found out her design was selected, she was pleasantly surprised.
“I wasn’t expecting to be chosen again.” Wendy said.