(CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Bria Junearick designed artwork that will represent Liberty Middle School in the State Superintendent’s Visual Arts Exhibit in Montgomery.

The superintendent’s show “includes artwork from many students in grades K-12 statewide,” Liberty art teacher Sarah Baker said. Categories include traditional works of art, computer-generated art and photography.

“Bria’s still life was chosen to represent Liberty because of her excellent execution of depicting realism. She has a great understanding of value and space, which helped her in making such a successful piece,” Baker said.

Junearick, a Liberty seventh-grader, never pursued private art studies. “Bria is intelligent, athletic, hardworking and obviously artistic,” Baker said. “She is a great example of a well-rounded student.”

She started working on the still life last fall. She used graphite pencils and blending stumps for shading. “Mrs. Baker set up a table with a white tablecloth and put lots of fall vegetables. I had to focus on one area to draw,” Junearick said.

For more vivid highlights and shadows, Baker demonstrated spotlights to students. This technique helped Junearick and classmates depict a broader range of light and dark areas, giving their artwork more contrast.

Surprisingly, Junearick took interest in art only last year. “I saw drawings that were really good. I went on YouTube and started to search videos to teach me how to properly draw people,” she said.

Junearick’s favorite choices for media are oil paints and oil pastels.

Bria’s parents are Cedric and Robbie Junearick. He works as director of food and nutritional services at Huntsville Hospital. Robbie works as a social worker.

At Liberty, Bria is a member of Beta Club and the Liberty Lions basketball team. “Outside of school, I take gymnastics classes and play softball,” she said.

“Bria has true drive,” Baker said. “I hope she continues to create art after she leaves Liberty.”