Sara Babnic, a Freshman at Palisade High School, achieved a remarkable feat by securing the top position in the Scholastic Art Competition with her work titled “Reminiscence of Happiness,” which is currently on display at the Denver Art Museum. This piece is an oil painting from an old picture of Sara and her sister, Ema, who is a Junior at Palisade High School. Among approximately 1,000 submissions to the competition, only 400 received honorable mentions or higher recognition, with Babnic’s piece earning a prestigious gold key at the state level. Reflecting on her accomplishment, Babnic expressed her initial astonishment. Babnic states, “I was shocked once I learned my piece won, I was super happy though.”

Art is so important to many people’s lives and can play a pivotal role in self expression and being an outlet for people of all ages and backgrounds. Babnic says, “What inspired me with this piece is that I really wanted to go for a nostalgic feel so that was part of my ‘why’ behind the art piece.” Despite her lifelong love for painting and drawing, it wasn’t until seventh grade that she began to approach art with a greater sense of dedication. Babnic exclaims, “My favorite thing about art is that you don’t have to explain it. It explains itself and you just get to do it and it’s just very personal because you don’t have to rely on anyone else.” Through her oil painting “Reminiscence of Happiness,” she not only captured something very nostalgic but also resonated with audiences on a deeply emotional level. Congratulations to the exceptionally talented student, Sara Babnic, whose dedication and thoughtful efforts have resulted in a remarkable achievement, a well-deserved Gold Key title throughout all of Colorado.