Permian High School sophomore Emilee Dameron is among elite company having earned a Gold Seal from the Visual Arts Scholastic Event.
This year, there were 31,996 artworks submitted at the regional level and only the top 10% earned the opportunity to make it to state. Region 18 had 26 entries in the competition, four of which were from Permian High School. The students representing Permian were Britton Morrow, Jaden White, Isabella Saldana and Dameron.
Morrow, a freshman, and Dameron won all-state medals. Dameron’s gold seal winning artwork will tour the state in various exhibitions including possibly being shown in the Texas Capitol. Her winning piece is a welded bird made of metal forks and spoons.
“I just like going out of the box for my ideas and I haven’t really seen any metal things and my dad used to be a welder, so I thought it would be really cool if he would be able to teach me and I could make something,” Dameron said.
This was the first time she had welded anything and the first time she had gone to state in VASE.
“I would like to continue welding,” she said. “It’s really cool.”
Dameron, 16, said she was “really shocked” to win the Gold Seal because there were so many competitors.
“My teachers were recording my reaction and she said you didn’t react and I guess I was just so shocked,” she added.
Dameron said she would like to go to college and major in art.
“I want to open a little shop where I can sell my art and teach art lessons,” she added.
Laree Morris, one of Dameron’s teachers, said the Gold Seal is an extremely high honor.
“I love all my students. I think they’re great. I think Emilee is amazing. She always goes the extra mile. She works very, very hard. You can hardly get her to quit, but I think she’s learned that you always quit before you think you’re finished because she’s over finished a few times. She just loves to do what she does,” Morris said.
Dameron said she loves the art program at Permian.
“The teachers are so caring and they really want you to try your best when you’re doing your art,” she added.
Dameron said both of her grandmothers are artistic. They have always created and sold art.
Charcoal is one medium she would like to get better at.
“I haven’t done charcoal much and I think it’s really cool,” she said.
Dameron added that she wouldn’t have been able to achieve this without the support of her parents.
