Student Art Inspired by California’s Ocean and Coast

Giant Pacific Octopus

Erick Villegas, 12th grade

News Release Date: October 31, 2013

Contact: Yvonne Menard, 805-658-5725

Winning entries from the 2013 California Coastal Art & Poetry Contest will be on exhibit through Monday, November 11, at Channel Islands National Park.

This contest, sponsored by the California Coastal Commission, features impressive artwork and poetry inspired by California’s ocean and coastal environments submitted by students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Included in the show is a winning entry by Isaac Goldstein, a ninth grader from Ventura. Isaac’s poem “The Otter” will be exhibited along with 45 other pieces of art and poetry recognized in the statewide contest, which received nearly 2300 entries from students throughout California.

The contest is held annually to encourage youth to reflect on the beauty and spirit of California's beaches and ocean. Through this effort the California Coastal Commission endeavors to inspire a greater sense of appreciation and stewardship for these natural places.

Annie Kohut Frankel, California Coastal Commission Education Coordinator, applauds the student artists and poets. “Each piece of artwork tells the individual story of the importance of our precious coast to these young Californians. The poetry ranges from a call to friends to share in play at the beach to careful observation of coastal processes.”

The Channel Islands National Park Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center is located at 1901 Spinnaker Drive in the Ventura Harbor and is free and open daily from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.

For more information about the contest and the commission’s other education programs, visit www.coastforyou.org call 800-Coast4U. The deadline for the 2014 contest is January 31st.

Two winning contest entries can be viewed below and all are available at: http://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/poster/mm13/gallery1-2013.html