Students recognized for visual arts

Adam Torgerson Three Agoura High School students were recognized in the photography division of the 2006 Music Center Spotlight Awards Visual Arts competition.

William Carroll, 17, William Thoren, 18, and Adam Torgerson, 17, gained recognition for their artistic photography out of 30 semifinalists in both categories.

All three students claimed top prizes at a special reception held at the Bobbie Greenfield Gallery in Bergamot Station in Santa Monica on March 19.

The Music Center of Los Angeles County also announced semifinalists in the two-dimensional design category during the reception.

Torgerson, a Westlake Village resident and a senior at the school, received the award for his black-and-white photograph, which depicted his grandfather, Larry Torgerson.

"I have known my grandfather for my whole life, and have seen that picture in different houses," Torgerson said. "Now he lives in my house. I took (the photograph) because that's just true of him."

Torgerson was presented the top cash prize of $6,000, which he plans on using to build a photography lab in his garage. He is also looking forward to shooting photos on a three-week trip to Russia.

STILL LIFE-Adam Torgerson of Agoura High School shot this image of his grandfather. The photograph garnered the top prize in the 2006 Music Center Spotlight Awards Visual Arts competition. With his $6,000 in winnings Torgerson plans on building a photography lab in his garage. After his graduation he hopes to attend the California Institute of the Arts. Carroll and Thoren both won honorable mentions, $250 prizes, for their color photographs. Carroll is a junior at the school and lives in Westlake Village, and Thoren, an Agoura resident, is completing his final year at the high school.

In addition to the cash prizes, winners will receive trophies during the Music Center Spotlight Awards at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on April 29.

More than 630 high school students submitted original artwork for this year's Spotlight Awards Visual Arts program. The submissions were reviewed by leading artists and arts professionals who considered the technical expertise involved in each work, including its craft and visual quality. They also analyzed how effectively the works expanded artistic boundaries and demonstrated artistic sensitivity and vision.

To select the top students, a panel of judges, including Ruby Osorio, Ashley McLean Emenegger, Lauren Hartman and Guy Dill, met with each semifinalist to review and discuss their work.

For photography, Douglas Kirkland, Steven Williams, Tim B. Wride, Nan Oshin and Rebecca Morse met with the semifinalists. Every student in the program was invited to attend special tours of leading area museums.

Students also attended master classes with nationally and internationally recognized artists in two-dimensional design and photography, including Phung Huynh and Mark Edward Harris.

The Spotlight Awards program was established in 1988 and is one of the nation's most acclaimed performing and visual arts educational programs for teens.

Fred Roberts is founding chairman of the Spotlight Awards, Dennis Beck is chairman and Walter Grauman is creator/executive producer. The Music Center Spotlight Awards program is a project of the Fraternity of Friends, a volunteer membership organization of men who support the Music Center.

Bank of America is the principal sponsor of the Music Center Spotlight Awards.

The Walter Lantz Foundation in Burbank, best known as the creator of the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker, returned for a third year to contribute leadership support for the Spotlight Awards Visual Arts competition.

Helen and Peter Bing provided scholarship awards for winners and runners-up in performing arts categories.

For more information about the Music Center Spotlight Awards program, call 213-972-3371 or visit www.musiccenter.org.