Danbury art teacher Jane Letterhos, left, encouraged sixth grader, Veronica Gilbert, to enter “The Art of Storytelling” juried exhibit at COSI, where Gilbert won top honors. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

BY SHERI TRUSTY

LAKESIDE-MARBLEHEAD – The extraordinary artistic talent of Danbury sixth grader Veronica Gilbert is currently on display at COSI in Columbus, where thousands of people will view her painting, “Blue Victorian Woman,” that won Veronica a President’s Choice award in the Pixar-inspired “The Art of Storytelling” contest. The President’s Choice award was the highest honor in the youth category of the contest.

Danbury art teacher, Jane Letterhos, encouraged Veronica to submit a piece for the juried show.

“She has natural talent. She is incredible,” Letterhos said.

Veronica’s award-winning, multimedia work features a Pixar-inspired Victorian woman in a flowing blue dress. Veronica used watercolor and acrylics for the piece and added 3-D elements. The image came both from her creativity and her knowledge. Veronica has a passion for art and history, and the two interests converged into an award-winning work of art.

“I got into the Victorian era because I think the hair and the dresses were really cool,” she said. “I researched blue pigment and discovered it was quite expensive.”

Letterhos has enjoyed watching Veronica’s creative talent play out in her classroom.

“It’s almost like she has this beautiful, wonderful movie going on in her mind and has to put it on canvas,” Letterhos said. “Her attention to detail is outstanding.”

Danbury sixth grader, Veronica Gilbert, was presented with the prestigious President’s Choice award at COSI for her original work, “Blue Victorian Woman.” (Submitted photo)

Veronica approaches a canvas with passion and confidence. She doesn’t draw an image before painting it. She puts paint to a bare canvas and allows her thoughts to flow onto the mass of white.

“The more mistakes you make, the more fun it is,” she said. “The more mistakes you make, the more chances for creativity.”

Veronica has been artistic her whole life. When she was very young, she would paint at her kitchen table all day until her parents “would kick me out for dinner,” she said. She studied art on her own as she grew, and is grateful that Letterhos’ art classes have “made me faster.”

She plans to pursue a career as an art teacher, keeping art a focus of her life.

Although Veronica used watercolor and acrylics in her COSI painting, she enjoys using a variety of mediums, including graphite, clay, and pencils.

“I don’t have a favorite. I use whatever feels good,” she said.

Veronica traveled to Columbus for the award ceremony with an aunt, a friend, and her mother, Danbury Schools Treasurer Lynnette Gilbert. Veronica was invited to attend the ceremony, but she was not told which award she won. So she was initially confused when her name was not called with the other youth category winners.

Then it was announced that her work was selected for the prestigious President’s Choice award.

“That was really fun,” she said. “I was extremely happy.”

The Art of Storytelling exhibit at COSI runs until May.