News at St. Catherine's
Senior Earns VMFA Fellowship
Alaina Wibberly received three big honors earlier this month, including a prestigous VMFA Visual Arts Fellowship.
February started off with a bang for Alaina Wibberly. In the opening days of the month, the St. Catherine’s senior was honored three different times -- twice for her artwork and once for her achievements in athletics and academics.
During those early days of the month, Wibberly was named the week 17 winner in the Lexus of Richmond Scholarship, received a gold key for her portfolio (equivalent to eight gold keys) in the Scholastic Art regional awards and was awarded a visual arts fellowship from the VMFA.
“It was a little overwhelming that they all came so close together,” said Wibberly, who played on the LIS champion volleyball team this past fall. “I'm not sure I've even processed them yet. I feel incredibly honored, though, and very excited about the opportunities this has given me.”
“It was a little overwhelming that they all came so close together,” said Wibberly, who played on the LIS champion volleyball team this past fall. “I'm not sure I've even processed them yet. I feel incredibly honored, though, and very excited about the opportunities this has given me.”
It’s no mistake that Wibberly earned all these accolades. As an artist, her pieces stop people in their tracks – specifically her pencil sketch portraits.
“Alaina is without a doubt one of the most gifted students I have ever had,” said Diego Sanchez, the School’s Arts Department Chair. What makes her special is that she is probably also one of the most humble and unassuming students in my Advanced Art class."
“Alaina’s work is technically flawless and she has a remarkable ability to capture likeness which is a difficult thing to accomplish. Alaina captures a part of her subject, her portraits are often like psychological depictions.”
Wibberly was the only high school student to receive the prestigious VMFA Arts Fellowship, which includes at $4,000 stipend. The VMFA received 798 applications for the 2014-15 cycle. Wibberly was one of 27 winners from around the state – including professional artists.
“I looked up some of the other winners, and I feel vastly under-qualified compared to them. They've all done such great things on a much larger scale than I have, so it's both intimidating and exciting at the same time,” Wibberly said.
When graduation rolls around later this spring, Wibberly hopes to continue her passion for art in college.
“I definitely plan on studying art in some form in college,” she said. “And I will never stop making art, even if it's just for myself.”
Located in the heart of Richmond, Virginia, St. Catherine’s School is a private, all-girls pre-K, kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school. We provide a well-rounded educational experience for girls from communities across Richmond, Chesterfield, Henrico and all of central Virginia. St.Catherine’s all-girls educational experience is rooted in more than a century of history and tradition. From our revolutionary past to our dynamic present, St. Catherine’s has always focused on preparing students for a boundless future.
