UNION — Students from Owensville High School won the 2026 Four Rivers Conference Art Show at East Central College.

Conference Champion is awarded to the school that received the most placements at the show. Owensville students competed against students from St. Clair, Sullivan, St. James, New Haven, Hermann, Pacific and Union. This is the second year in a row Owensville has won the conference art show.

Gasconade County R-2 Art Teacher Jessie Bayless shared information about her students’ accomplishments.

“Congrats, artists. Conference champion is awarded to the school that received the most placements in the FRC (Four Rivers Conference) Art Show,” wrote Bayless.

There were 11 categories in the competition and students could submit up to two entries per category.

Placements are for first, second and third in each category, and one ‘Best of Show’ award for the overall competitions in 2D and in 3D.

Colton Hecht earned Best of Show in 3D for his piece, “Frizzle Fry.” Hecht’s piece featured a 3D head with two eyeballs extended out and sharp white teeth, placed in a frying pan.

Anna Carlin received first and third place awards for Drawing II (color). Her two pieces were “Leave Me Alone” which placed third place, and “Lost in My Thoughts” took first place. She used colored pencils and acrylic as the medium for her two pieces.

“Lost in My Thoughts” was displayed at the Youth Art Month Exhibit in March at the Missouri State Capitol. The portrait consisted of a girl with blond hair sitting on a stool, wearing a white T-shirt staring at a green creature with four fingers on both hands. The creature was  waving at the girl.

“Leave Me Alone” features a girl with dirty blond hair wearing a red t-shirt and blue jeans, and a shark-like creature ready to attack.

Kerstin Beesley took first place finish in the sculpture competition with “Flora Meets Fauna.” Beesley made the sculpture of a bird with yellow tail feathers using paper and wire. The breast of the bird consists of white and black paper.

Carlin, Hecht and Beesley were recognized as first All-Conference Art at the show.

Lorelai McDaniel took second in painting. McDaniel’s piece, “From the Vine,” was created using watercolors. The art consists of red apples that are ripe and green apples that are ripening about to bloom and green vines

Eli Shields was third in painting II with his piece, “A Lovely Day in Rothenburg,” made with watercolors. The painting was inspired by his European trip to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, in Germany. It showcases the old architecture of the streets.

Lexi Manning finished third in printmaking with “Smiles,” using ink. She draws the various stages of the moon, and uses organic white space and contouring to create images and smiles in various intricately-designed black squiggly shapes, layered over the yellow dots.

Evan Reed was third in design with the piece “Sweet,” designed with vivid detail. Reed used ink and colored pencil during its creation. A pink water lily floats in the center, surrounded by white swans and yellow ducklings.

Molly Emke earned an honorable mention in mixed media using a cardboard relief for the medium of the piece called “Bug,” which consists of a dark green insect with an eye staring from the insect’s abdomen. Six brown legs and a dark green body create a visual 3-D effect of an insect on a wall.

McDaniel, Shields, Manning, Reed and Emke earned Second-Team All-Conference honors. The students’ art will be on display  through April 10 at East Central College in Hansen Hall Room 221.