Frontier Scholarship Recipient: Nichole Shinn

If you came to Shop Austin you were able to see the fantastic artwork of the 2010 Frontier Scholarship Recipient, Nichole Shinn.  For those that did not, and because we think her work is so fantastic, we wanted to share a little about Nichole with all of you:

Nichole has taken four years of advanced 2D art classes at Bowie High School, along with two years of 3D classes.  Drawing and painting are the main art forms she pursues, but she also studies sculpture, photography and film.   Nichole's artwork has been selected for the Texas Art Education Association (TAEA) traveling exhibit and has been displayed in AISD's annual art exhibit every year beginning in elementary school.  TAEA also sponsors the Visual Arts Scholastic Events (VASE) and Nichole's art has been selected for regional and state events for all 4 years of high school.

Nichole desires to use her artistic abilities for ecuational purposes and would like to be either an art or art history teacher/professor, or a graphic designer.  She draws inspiration from many artists, but mostly from the people around her and she applies this inspiration to her art.  At school, Nichole is President of the National Art Honor Society and President of Bowie's Art Club.

Outside of school, Nichole works with a teen program at Arthouse Austin in which art students get together and make public art projects and put together teen shows.  Her work is featured on their website right now for the "Ahead of Their Time" student exhibit. She has also worked with First Night Austin through Bowie for two years and volunteers at several art galleries around Austin. 

Nichole was unable to attend Shop Austin this year to showcase her work because she was at the Pratt Institute's Open House for their School of Art & Design.  Nichole has been accepted to Pratt and will attend there starting this Fall.  We are excited to offer the $500.00 Frontier Scholarship to help her achieve these goals!

Shop Austin is a major fundraiser for the Frontier Scholarship and this year we raised $1200.00 for Frontier!  The independent judging panel that selected Nichole Shinn was compromised of 4 independent Austin artists, designers and business owners and we cannot wait to see who will apply and receive the scholarship next year!

XO,
Allison & Anne Marie