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March 31, 2008

Piece of the prize: Student honored for artwork

By Meghan McCormick

Twelve-year-old Austin Pendley-Griffin has 750 reasons for eating Hideaway pizza.

Earlier this month, Pendley-Griffin won second place and a $750 cash prize in the elementary category of the Oklahoma Collage project sponsored by The Hideaway. “Oklahoma Outdoors” was the theme of this year’s contest.

Last year, Pendley-Griffin entered the contest and received honorable mention. He said he was elated to learn his prize was a bit larger this time.

“It feels really great,” Pendley-Griffin said. “I wasn’t expecting to get a place this year. It was really big.”

The boy said his collage is a tribute to George Sutton, the University of Oklahoma professor of ornithology who is the namesake for the George Sutton Urban Wilderness. The area is located on 12th Avenue NE, just south of East Rock Creek Road.

He said he chose to feature the Sutton Wilderness in his collage because he likes the open space and outdoors.

“I run a lot there, he said. “It’s just a nice place to get back to nature. I really like going there. It’s tranquil and peaceful. It’s a nice place to get away from modern-day America.”

Pendley-Griffin said by the time he found materials to make the collage and decide on a design, it became a two-week project.

“It took a couple weeks to finish the entire thing,” he said.

Pendley-Griffin is a sixth-grade student at Classen School of Advanced Studies in Oklahoma City. He said even if he chooses a career path not related to art, he will always be an artist.

I’m always going to do art for the rest of my life,” he said.

The sixth-grader said he’s already used up the earnings from the cash prize.

“I spent it on an electric guitar,” he said.

Pendley-Griffin’s mother, Joy Pendley, said her son is a fan of Hideaway Pizza, and art happens to be one of his favorite subjects.

“We like Hideaway and whenever we go in there, he appreciates the art,” she said.

The mother said Hideaway employees were impressed with the 12-year-old’s artistic ability when he presented his artwork.

“They didn’t believe he had done the work,” she said.

According to a Hideaway Pizza press release, the project began in 2000. Each year there is a different theme celebrating a different aspect of life in Oklahoma. An overall Grand Champion is chosen with a $2,000 prize, and $1,000 first place winners and $750 second place winners are chosen in three age categories.

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