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  • Laura Deng is surrounded by her art and awards. Russell Hixson

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  • Stillwater Middle School student Laura Deng created this piece on the theme of "Diversity means..." Russell Hixson

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May 31, 2012

Stillwater Middle School artist earns national recognition

By Russell Hixson Stillwater NewsPress

STILLWATER, Okla. — Laura Deng thought long and hard before deciding on what to draw.

“It's the hardest part, coming up with the idea,” Deng said. The Stillwater Middle School student made a list of all the things she associates with diversity and then it came to her: Stamps. Something she found visual, colorful and representative of many different countries and cultures.

The result was a colorful collage of stamps crafted with watercolor, marker and colored pencil. It garnered the sixth-grader a National Award of Merit in the 2011-2012 Reflections program. Reflections is a PTA-sponsored competition that asks students to create artwork around a chosen theme. The theme was, “Diversity means … ”

“When I found out, I was very excited and emailed all my friends,” Deng said.

She traveled to Oklahoma City to accept her trophy earlier this month.

It isn't her first award. In 2009 she won an award of merit for a drawing of a Chinese kite in the reflection of an eye.

Deng started drawing when she was around 5, while living in Seattle. Her parents found her an art teacher who taught her how to use various mediums like watercolor and colored pencils.

“I am very proud of her,” said Yan Xu, Deng's mother.

She enjoys seeing her daughter think of an idea and use pencils, paint and marker to make it a reality.

Deng enjoys studying science, especially physics. For now she plans to keep her art as a hobby. She said that hopefully this summer she will be able to find more time to draw with her mother and sister Sophie.

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