(Lander, WY) – The winners of the VFW mural contest were announced Monday night in a cookout celebration at the Lander VFW Post 954 & Auxiliary, with 16-year-old student Anna Grumbine taking 1st place, Aiyana Perez in 2nd, and 10-year-old Isabella Wesaw in 3rd.
1st place received $500, 2nd place got $400, and 3rd place $300.
The theme for the mural competition, open to artists of all ages and skill levels, was “military or patriotism.”
The VFW has been in the process of renovating the building, and the murals will be painted on a mobile platform and displayed outside the VFW hall, to be later be moved to various locations around the County.
While Anna and Aiyana were unable to attend the celebration, 10-year-old and about-to-be 6th grader Isabella was more than excited and honored to place in the top three.
Isabella shared that she has a “passion for art” of all varieties, and is “looking forward to future competitions.”
Isabella’s parents Tasha and Wes also added how proud they are of her, especially since her artwork honors family members who served in the military, including a grandpa she never got to meet who served in Korea and WWII, and an uncle who served in the National Guard.
Contest organizer Forrest Parker also stated that the VFW will work with the contest winners to ensure completion of the projects, and that they hope to make the contest a yearly thing.
Congratulations local artists!
