Art 1 and Art 1 advanced students are getting ready for the annual EmilyAnn Butterfly Art Contest on April 23, a contest created to honor the memory of Emily Ann Rolling, a Wimberley High School student, who was killed in a car accident in 1996. 

“We started our juried art contest along with the Butterfly Festival in 1999. The goal was to involve the art community in the festival and also give a platform for artists, both young and old, to express their talent,” EmilyAnn’s mom Ann Rolling said. “As the festival grew, so did the art contest. However, even with lots of growth, the goal has remained the same.”

Participating artists have a probability of getting their butterflies displayed at the EmilyAnn Theatre & Gardens in Wimberley, where the 2022 Butterfly Festival takes place. The EmilyAnn now receives more than 3500 pieces of art each year from areas in and around Texas.

For art students on campus, the contest provides a break from their typical classwork.

“I like that it gives the students a change of pace from regular classwork,” teacher Jeb Matulich said. “And how it also gives them an opportunity to compete in a contest.”

The contest is a fresh practice for many art students participating, and has given them the convenience to try out new techniques.

“I really enjoyed doing it,” freshman Hossein Moghaddam said. “It was something new and I was able to experiment with different themes.”

Art is taking part in the butterfly contest mostly to expose students to a workspace where they can create their own pieces, according to their likings, to no limit. This experience can help students discover and familiarize themselves better with their preferences and extend their artistic abilities.

“We love to see the creativity that the artists exhibit in their work,” Rolling said. “We are committed to bringing the love of art to all ages and allowing them to put their best butterfly and caterpillar art on display for all to enjoy!”