Glendale Arts announced the launch of its Student Artist Scholarship, an award recognizing exceptional creativity, artistic promise and thoughtful reflection on the role of art in students’ lives and futures. The inaugural prize was presented to two graduating Glendale Unified School District student artists. 

The scholarship recipients, each receiving $500, are Alena Kim of Crescenta Valley High School and Matilda King of Hoover High School. Both students’ application responses reflected a deep understanding of art as a vehicle for storytelling, personal identity, emotional connection and community impact.
“The Glendale Arts Student Artist Scholarship was created to invest directly in emerging young artists at a pivotal point in their creative journeys,” said Glendale Arts Board Chair Lilit Harutyunyan. “At Glendale Arts, we believe in creating meaningful opportunities for artists to showcase their talent, perspectives and stories, and that begins by supporting the next generation with a platform where they can feel seen, supported and encouraged to share their voices with the world.”
Kim, whose digital paintings explore themes of cultural identity and emotional honesty through a Korean American lens, described art as a way to communicate experiences that language alone cannot fully express.

This fall, Kim will begin the BFA animation program at California State University, Long Beach on the pre-production track, pursuing her goal of working in VFX environment art and visual storytelling rooted in emotional authenticity and cultural perspective.
King, a ceramics and sculpture artist from Hoover High School, reflected that art is both a personal refuge and a means of creating joy and opportunity for others.

King expressed aspirations of one day building a production studio that supports local artists, writers, programmers and performers while creating stable creative opportunities within the entertainment industry.

The exhibition is on view through June 13 at ace/121 Gallery. The GUSD Senior Show is presented by Glendale Arts in partnership with the Glendale Unified School District. This year’s show features a collection of photography, ceramics, sculptures, paintings and mixed media from students representing all five GUSD high schools. 

Submitted by Glendale Arts