Fountain Hills Charter School student Hana Wilde recently took part in the Arizona Department of Education’s Everyday Art of Arizona competition, claiming a Division 3 first place award for her entry, “Nature’s Artwork in the Desert.”

Wilde was honored at an awards ceremony held on Jan. 10 at the Department of Education’s Jefferson Building, where Division winners’ artwork will now be displayed.

Wilde said that she and her classmates found out about the competition in the fall, only two weeks before the due date for entries to be submitted.

“Our teacher got a late notice and we all had to rush, so I was growing gray hairs during the whole process,” Wilde said.

“The theme was to find art in everyday life in Arizona.”

Wilde said that she saw that as an opportunity to combine wildlife, a landscape and the modern world.

“What I did in my acrylic painting was add a jet plane leaving a streak in the air, with a landscape of the mountains and the desert and a small river to show there is life there,” Wilde said.

“There was also a coyote looking at a butterfly pollinating a cactus, showing that everything has its own way of being art. From the animals, to the plants, to the insects to the river, it’s all art.”

Wilde said she has been into art since she was two years old, as soon as she was able to grab some crayons and start scribbling away.

“This painting probably took about 10 work hours total,” Wilde said.

“It came together in a rushed way, but I don’t think it looked rushed. I worked so hard on it that my eyes started to cross.”

Wilde’s first place award includes competition against eighth grade students throughout the state.

“I knew I wouldn’t be last, but I didn’t think I would win,” she added.

“I know there are thousands of eighth graders out there with artistic talent…I never knew I could win.”

When she received the good news, Wilde said she “screamed like a little girl,” but then got right back to work.

Overall, she said she’s enjoyed the competition, and even took a little something away from the experience.

“If you put your hardest efforts into something, even if you’re pressured, rushed and stressed, it could and most likely will turn out great,” she said.

As for her $500 reward, Wilde said it will be going toward her education, as she plans to attend the Art Institute of Chicago following high school.