Conant art student places top ten in Illinois design contest, has chance to take first place prize

Out of 15 other entries from Conant and 66 entries from 12 counties in Illinois, Cassandra Flick, a junior art student, recently made the top ten of the Illinois Tollway Map Design Contest. After Principal Julie Nowak forwarded the information to the Art Department, Jamie Peterson, an art teacher, introduced the contest to her art students.

Peterson said, “It had to be a map design cover and fit the theme about how fatigued driving is dangerous.”

Flick explained, “I originally wanted to paint a car accident, but I had a feeling other people entering the contest would draw or paint a tired person or a car accident [as well]. So I tried to make that idea a bit more animated by making it look kind of like a comic page, showing the events in scenes.”

In regard to her artistic approach, Flick said, “I don’t really have any organization or planning at all most of the time. I try to get ideas from anything really, then I sketch an idea out on paper. If I think it’s okay then I’ll just continue with that idea. If I don’t like it I move onto the next idea or try to view it from another angle.”

The winner of the contest receives $400 to Blick Art Stores and $200 to an Illinois Oasis, along with having his/her artwork printed as the cover of the 2015-2016  Illinois Tollway map, distributed to over 125,000 people. The three runner-ups receive $200 to Blick Art stores and $100 to an Illinois oasis.

Vote #01 Cassandra Flick here until October 31 to see a fellow Cougar place in the top four!