"Ocean Sunset," a piece of graffiti art by 15-year-old Drew Hirzel, is on display at the Ann Arbor District Library, along with other works created by local students during the Art Fair.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

The library supplied them with Masonite panels on easels and cans of spray paint to compete in the 9th annual Teen Graffiti Art Contest and Exhibit. Their creations are on display at the library in the lower level and on the 3rd floor through Aug. 30.

Each year, teens in the sixth through 12th grade from Ann Arbor and out of town gather outside the library (this year in the staff parking lot) to compete to make the best piece of graffiti art. This year, fine artist and Eastern Michigan University BFA graduate Joan Newberry chose three top winners, who received gift certificates for art supplies at Michigan Book and Supply, as well as two honorable mentions.

“What we are trying to do with the contest is to do an activity that will support the teens and give us something to do during Art Fair week. And we get a really nice exhibit out of it that gets a lot of traffic,” says Vicki Browne, a librarian at the library's Traverwood Branch.

“For some of them,” Browne explains, “it’s their first art exhibit. So, the fact that they get to create something that is hip and fun and then show it to the public is a really nice opportunity for them. We are happy to be able to create that opportunity for them.”

This year’s first-place winner is 15-year-old Drew Hirzel, who created “Ocean Sunset,” a depiction of a mostly black and white boat against a rainbow-colored sea and sky. Hirzel also participated last year, and “as a matter of fact, he sold his painting last year. He got an offer for his piece and he sold it,” Browne says.

“If someone expresses an interest in purchasing a work, then I contact the teen for them. Then they can talk it over with their family, and if they decide that they are interested in selling, they can get in contact with the interested buyer,” Browne explains. Although some will choose to keep their own artworks for themselves, “a lot of them are very very flattered, and they are happy to sell it,” she says.

The second-place winner is 15-year-old Lillian Xie, whose untitled work depicts an abstracted circuit board/computer chip. In the middle of the work, she painted a smiley face that looks like the computer characters “d:)” Third place went to 12-year-old Deanna Shih, who painted her “Rose” by taping over the rose’s outline to keep it white and spraying the red petals and green leafs over it.

The two honorable mentions went to sixth graders Grace Battersby and Tanvi Jaikamal, who created an abstract piece divided into four sections called “Thinking 4 Art,” and sixth grader Popi Vorias, who depicted a large purple heart surrounded by vivid red, orange, and yellow flames that he named “Heart on Fire.”

Browne recognizes that some people might bat an eye at encouraging kids to do graffiti, but she makes a distinction between illegal tagging on the sides of buildings and what the library’s contest sets out to accomplish. “I’m not naive to think that there haven’t been a few comments about that here and there. But if you just take a look at the works, you’ll see that they are doing some really nice work. And it’s on Masonite boards, so it’s not the same,” she explains. “If people look at the artworks and see what the kids do, it’s not edgy and it’s not tagging. Pretty much every year, there are things like flowers, scenery, peace symbols, and this year we had an “LOL,” she says.

Contest judge Joan Newberry will be exhibiting her own oil paintings and some mixed media works at a public library show at the Malletts Creek Branch at 3090 E. Eisenhower Parkway, east of Stone School Road. “Portraits of the Things I Can’t Describe” will be on display August 2 through September 14.

The annual Teen Graffiti Art Contest and Exhibit happens at the Art Fair every year, and pictures of artworks from past years are added to the event’s website for viewing anytime. 2011’s works will be online soon. Until then, go see them in person at the library.

The Ann Arbor District Public Library’s main branch is located downtown at 343 South Fifth Avenue. It is open Monday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. View the exhibit on the 3rd floor and in the basement.