“Dancing on the Ceiling, In the Dark” by Makenzie Lawson

Spring 2026 Winner in Art

From the art editors…

We chose this piece because of its outstanding composition and technical mastery. It demonstrates artistic vision, with a complicated scene evoking a chaotic musical atmosphere. This is very much a work where the more you look the more you see, like the shopping cart in the foreground or the Coco-Cola product in the corner. The inclusion of such details in this surrealist piece forces the viewer to deeply consider our current society. Also, the shading done on objects like the cone, the animal heads, and the ceiling is impressive. In addition to its intricacy and psychological depth, we felt it best represented our theme of “Soundscape” due to its musical imagery of notes on the ceiling and walls.

Congratulations Makenzie,

Caroline Gottsman & Megan Zanni