Ladue Horton Watkins High School senior Gray Baker has been awarded the $1,000 Frani Weinstock Scholarship, the highest honor at the St. Louis Artists’ Guild’s Young Artists’ Showcase Regional Juried Art Exhibition. This prestigious scholarship recognizes outstanding artistic achievement and is awarded to a student whose work demonstrates exceptional creativity, technique, and vision.

Gray’s winning piece, "I'm Only Good at Taking Selfies When Someone is Haunting Me" (Acrylic on Canvas), was selected from more than 400 submissions by high school students within a 150-mile radius of St. Louis. The Young Artists’ Showcase is a highly competitive exhibition highlighting some of the most talented young artists in the region. Gray’s artwork, which explores themes of identity and emotion through bold color and expressive brushwork, captured the judges' attention and earned this distinguished award.

Gray is one of five LHWHS students whose artwork was selected for this year’s Young Artists’ Showcase. The following students also have their pieces featured in the exhibition, which runs through March 29, 2025, at the St. Louis Artists’ Guild Gallery in Clayton:

• Anastasia Amromina (11th Grade) – "Night Flight" (Acrylic on Canvas)
• Ella Lin (11th Grade) – "Family Dinner" (Acrylic and Play-Dough on Canvas and Paper)
• Aalaa Mahmoud (11th Grade) – "Drip, Drip" (Acrylic on Canvas, Cardboard, and Panel)
• Brie Shelley-Piccinini (12th Grade) – "Candle" (Acrylic on Canvas)

The Young Artists’ Showcase is open to the public, and we encourage families, students, and art enthusiasts to visit the St. Louis Artists’ Guild Gallery to experience the incredible work of these young artists firsthand.

Ladue Schools is incredibly proud of these students for their dedication, artistic vision, and creativity. Their work exemplifies the high level of talent within our district and the arts program. Congratulations to Gray on this outstanding achievement and to all our talented students for this well-deserved recognition!