Art contest winner knows where to ‘draw the line’
by Laura Emery, Staff Writer
BEST IN SHOW – Kelly Moseley, Kenbridge, Va, 1st grade with Bobby Moseley.
For this year’s annual Cooperative Living Youth Art Contest, artists from kindergarten through fifth grade were asked to portray visual interpretations of the theme, “Why Lineworkers Are Heroes.”
Kelly Moseley, 6, didn’t have to think too hard about how to answer the question.
Before putting crayon to paper, the rising second grader from Lunenburg County, Va., simply thought about her father, Bobby Moseley.
Moseley works as substation apparatus technician for Southside Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Crewe. “I oversee all of our substations and downline protective devices and anything that involves automation. And I still go out and do line work when needed. I also previously worked as a lineworker for about eight years,” he says.
A bright orange and yellow sunset was the perfect backdrop for Kelly’s artistic rendering of two lineworkers working on power lines with a bucket truck. “I like sunsets. I think they’re pretty,” she says. “So I wanted to make a sunset somewhere in my art.”
Depicted in her entry was a lineworker in a bucket truck. “That’s my dad,” she says, her bright blue eyes full of pride. “My dad fixes power, which is important. If it’s dark, they put the lights on so you can see. He’s my hero.”
Moseley wasn’t surprised that his daughter won best-in-show honors. “I knew she was going to create something great. She is our little artist. Every afternoon, she breaks out the pens and pencils and creates beautiful art.”
Historically, the staff of the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives, publisher of Cooperative Living, judges contest entries. Judging was handled differently this year, as visitors to the annual Gaff-n-Go Lineworker Rodeo, held in May, were invited to view all entries and vote for the favorite.
“Since our theme was related to the lineworker trade, contest judging was a natural fit for our lineworker rodeo, which attracts so many people each year,” says Steven Johnson, editor of Cooperative Living magazine. “We could see first-hand that people really took the time to look over the entries, and were impressed by the quality and creativity of the students’ work.”
Student artists from a four-state region entered the competition. Kelly’s best-in-show work earned her a $100 prize.
“Kelly wants to save the money, along with her other money, to go to Disney World this fall,” says her mother Katlyn.
Kelly attends Kenston Forest School in Blackstone, Va., and loves art class. “She’s very smart,” says Katlyn. “She loves to dance and play softball, and she is a big sister to two little sisters, as well.”
Information on the 2023 art contest will appear in the March Cooperative Living.
“If it’s dark, they put the lights on so you can see. He’s my hero.”
1st PLACE
Deizyl James
Sneedville, Tenn., 2nd grade
3RD PLACE (TIE)
Campbell Phillips
Midlothian, Va., 4th grade
2nd PLACE
Loghan Vann
Georgetown, Del., 2nd grade
3RD PLACE (TIE)
Madison VanMatre
Ruther Glen, Va., 4th grade
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