Local Teen Wins National Photography Honor

ARTS & CULTURE

By Jock Lauterer

A young Chapel Hill artist has won national honors for her photography.

Alex Rae Hogue, 16, has been named an honorable mention winner in the annual photography competition sponsored by the National YoungArts Foundation.

Alex, the daughter of Susan L. Hogue of Chapel Hill, is a junior at Durham Academy. In recognition of her achievement, she will receive an all-expense paid trip to attend a master class in Miami, Feb. 25-March 1.

The teen, who has been studying photography and art since early childhood, said, “Art is part of who I am, so I am so thrilled to have this recognition.”

According to YoungArts correspondence, Alex has been recognized for “her caliber of artistic achievement and joins 686 of the nation’s most accomplished artists in the visual, literary and performing arts and was selected based on caliber of artistic achievement by an esteemed discipline-specific panel of artists through a rigorous blind adjudication process.

“This year’s award winners represent the top 9.5 percent of applications across ten artistic disciplines. YoungArts award winners gain access to one of the most prestigious programs for emerging artists in the United States in which they will have opportunities for creative and professional development throughout their entire careers.”