Each year, 4-H members across the county design thank-you cards with the hope that their card will win the organization’s annual contest.
The creative young artists design, draw, color and word the cards, and the best of the best are picked.
This year’s three winners, senior division, Jillian Auble; junior division, Madeline Ott and intermediate division, Maria Stanviano, all had one thing in common — modesty.
The design of Jillian Auble, 17, of Wellington, shown with her cow, “Dude,”won in the senior division.
And this isn’t even Jillian’s first time sharing her artwork with the country.
The Kids and Kritters 4-Her has entered the thank-you card design contest twice and won both times.
Still, she says she’s not an artist.
“It’s just kind of something I do,” she said. “It’s fun.”
Between cheerleading, classes and working on her family’s small farm, there isn’t much time for drawing, the 17-year-old Wellington High School senior said.
Still, she’s excited her card will be sent out across the county.
“It’s cool,” she said.
Jillian, who has been in 4-H since she was 9 years old, is taking dairy cows to the fair this year.
Depending on where she goes to college, she hopes to stay with 4-H for the next two years. Jillian wants to go into the medical field, possibly as a respiratory therapist.
The design of Maria Stanziano, 12, of Elyria, won in the intermediate division. (Photo by Chuck Humel, The Chronicle-Telegram.)
Maria, 12, already was planning for a future career in art when she found out she had won the thank-you card design contest.
“I didn’t really expect that,” she said. “I love drawing. I’ve thought about going to college for art. I’m not sure for what exactly, but I would be an art major.”
Maria, who is in her first year with the Carlisle True 4-Her’s, says drawing is her preferred medium. She likes to make portraits of her friends, but she mostly lets her inspiration guide her.
“Whatever inspires me, that’s what I draw,” she said. But she isn’t ready to call herself an artist quite yet.
When she doesn’t have pad and paper in hand, the Midview Middle School student likes hanging out with her friends and skateboarding and she wouldn’t dare to draw on her board.
“It was expensive,” she said. “I don’t think my dad would like that.”
Madeline doesn’t want to be an artist when she grows up — she wants to dance.
But the 12-year-old Vermilion resident still loves to draw.
She entered the thank-you design contest last year, but this is her first win.
The design of Madeline Ott, 12, of Vermilion, won in the junior division. (Photo by Steve Manheim, The Chronicle-Telegram.)
“I was so excited,” she said. “No one told me I won and I found out from my adviser at our bake sale. It’s exciting that (the cards) are going to everyone. I think people are going to like it.”
Her humorous card depicts two sheep by a bale of hay making witty banter. But the home-schooled seventh-grader usually prefers drawing pigs, she says.
The Brownhelm Perfection and BB’s 4-H member also has sewing, cooking and rabbit projects for the fair.
Contact Christina Jolliffe at 329-7155 or ctnews@chroniclet.com.
