More than 300 students enrolled in accredited fine arts programs in American colleges participated this spring in the first CROSS FINE LINES Scholarship Competition. A jury consisting of representatives from The Museum of Modern Art, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum along with CROSS executives, reviewed the pen and ink illustrations submitted by the students. The jury awarded the first place prize, a $5,000 scholarship, to Jennifer Connolly who attends California College of the Arts. The three runner-up prizes will be presented to Choon Keat Teoh of the School of Visual Arts in New York; Vanessa Espinosa of Creighton University in Iowa; and Brianne Rediske of Montana State University – Bozeman. Fifty honorable mentions were also awarded.

CROSS, based in Lincoln, Rhode Island, is America’s oldest manufacturer of writing instruments with a history that stretches back more than 160 years. According to Tom Peterson, Director of Global Marketing for CROSS, “CROSS has achieved widespread recognition for its artistry in pens and accessories, and we are now thrilled to acknowledge and encourage the creativity of America’s fine arts students in the medium of pen and ink illustration. After reviewing more than 300 submissions, we are pleased to announce that Jennifer Connolly, a student at California College of the Arts, receives our grand prize, a $5,000 scholarship, to help advance her studies. Jennifer’s pen and ink illustration is a striking and contemporary representation of work in this medium that exhibits a high level of technical expertise, thereby earning top accolades from the distinguished jury.”

Mr. Peterson continues, “We will be honored to share Jennifer’s outstanding work with the community by presenting her illustration and other winning submissions on our website and in our CROSS retail stores. With the diversity in the style of illustrations, as well as the overall quality, these students show that they are truly moving this art form forward with their vision and techniques. CROSS wishes to thank all of the students who participated in the competition and we congratulate them on their wonderful works in pen and ink.”