A hummingbird hovers mid-flight, its wings a shimmer of purple, blue, and indigo, each feather rendered in tiny, deliberate strokes. Its long beak dips into the orange blossom of a prickly pear cactus, bright green pads dotted with spines rising from the bottom of the frame. Behind it, the sky is a warm wash of pink watercolor, deepening toward the edges. In the lower right corner, in small, careful letters: Ava ♡Ava Erlacher painted "A Bird's-Eye View" in fifth grade, mixing every watercolor shade from scratch. She jokes that it took ten years off her life. This spring, it won the Tucson Festival of Books Young Artists Contest, making it six consecutive wins for the Canyon View Elementary student. Every single year since kindergarten.
It started in 2021, when a kindergartner submitted a painting she called "Pandemic Pam" — a wild-haired woman who, her mother notes with a laugh, looked like her hair was on fire. The Festival of Books Young Artists Contest celebrates Southwest art and culture. "Pandemic Pam" didn't exactly fit the brief. But the judges couldn't dismiss it either. They created a special category just for her. 
Her reaction to this year's win? "Wow! This is amazing!" followed by a lot of excited twirling. She submits her pieces each November and then waits. By mid-January, her mother Stephanie says, "Let's just say our mailbox gets a lot more attention than usual. It's a very specific mix of hope, anticipation, and maybe a little strategic over-checking for the announcement letter."
A vibrant sugar skull took the prize in first grade. Then came "Monsoon Sunset" in second grade, and that one traveled far beyond the festival. Governor Katie Hobbs selected it to hang in her Phoenix offices, making Ava one of the youngest artists with work displayed in the state capitol complex. In third grade, "Cactus Dreams" stopped the judges again, a bold, swirling desert landscape alive with layered greens, vivid purples, and a blazing sunset sky that seems to hum with energy. That same year, Ava designed the official Canyon View T-shirt, hiding her signature in the blades of grass, one of those little touches that tells you exactly who this student is. The San Xavier Mission painting followed in fourth grade, its fiery magenta sky and meticulous architectural detail earning her a fifth title. And this year, "A Bird's-Eye View" made it six. At Canyon View, art teacher Ms. Scarlett Iniguez has nurtured Ava's growth as an artist, and librarian Ms. Kathy Callanan quietly did something that matters as much as any trophy. She dedicated an entire library door to Ava's work, hanging each year's winning poster as it arrived. For a student who has found her truest voice through a paintbrush, walking past that door every day has meant everything.
"It has inspired Ava and deepened her love for creativity," said her mother, Stephanie Erlacher. Asked what she would tell parents whose kids haven't found their thing yet, Stephanie said: "It doesn't have to happen early, and it definitely doesn't have to look like anyone else's version of success. For Ava, art isn't about winning contests. It's where she processes the world, expresses herself, and builds confidence in her own voice. It's also the place where she'll happily lose track of time, which feels like a pretty good sign we're onto something."
Ava puts it more simply: "Art is a feeling. It can help you express your emotions in ways you never thought you could."
Ava's fifth-grade teachers, Mrs. Teena Clark, Ms. Libby Hays, and Mr. Scott Suter, have watched her bring that same dedication to her final year at Canyon View. The school recently learned of Ava's sixth win.
"While we often celebrate achievements in language arts, math, and science, art has always been where Ava's heart truly shines," Stephanie wrote. "I thank my lucky stars we landed at Canyon View and with the very best teachers around who have sculpted her character in the most wonderful and meaningful ways."
As for what's next, Ava dreams of opening her own gallery one day. She calls it "Ava Doodles," which started as a family nickname and has somehow become a full business plan. She also talks about wanting to work for The Walt Disney Company as an animator or Imagineer.
We are so proud of you, Ava.