Coloring contest: There were no bad eggs in this Easter basket

Contestants got hatching this year with colorful, creative and fun art pieces for The Spokesman-Review’s annual Easter egg coloring contest.

The judges had the opportunity to select three winners in three age groups out of a total of 160 entries, and as can be expected, everybunny impressed; it was another round of difficult decisionmaking.

For our youngest contestants, the judges saw creative use of a stencil and fluorescent colors from 2-year-old Ryker Fox, of Spokane. Also from Spokane, Emmett Madsen, 4, used colorful and contrasting stripes that reminded the judges of a fierce tiger. Three-year-old Piper Huckabee, who hails from Greenacres, decided to apply textures in an array of hues.

In the ages 5-8 group, 8-year-old Isabelle Newton, of Spokane, had the judges talking. One judge said her sleeping bunny was the “most darling thing I’ve ever seen,” while another called it “heartwarming.” For Spokane’s Katelyn Runft, 8, the use of multimedia and fabrics appealed to the judges because of its textures. Art by 7-year-old Addilyn McConnell, also of Spokane, spoke to the judges of a chick excited to break out of its shell and seize Easter.

Ten-year-old Hannah Kramar, 11-year-old Katherine Newton and 10-year-old Linnea Otterstrom, all of Spokane, submitted colorful pieces rife with talent. Hannah’s use of white on her bunny helped the critter appear more vibrant and stand out on the page. Katherine’s intricate details of individual frames told a story that crossed from one panel into the next of a chick finding a home. But what really had the judges talking was the green caterpillar inching its way along the egg. The judges were quite interested and intrigued by Linnea’s artwork. Her piece paid homage to the bright and colorful birds of South America. The creatures were clearly well-studied, for which the judges were impressed.

A big thank you to all the entries this year, and excellent work. The winners will receive a gift certificate to Mobius Discovery Center. As many entries as possible will be displayed in the windows at Mobius Discovery Center.