One of Daniel Lukas’ earliest memories is sitting at the kitchen table drawing. Since then, Lukas – like many students in UCF’s new School of Visual Arts and Design – has developed a passion for creativity.

This week, he and four other aspiring UCF student artists were awarded the J.R. Hopes Art Scholarship, named after the senior vice president of marketing at AOL-Time Warner during the height of the Internet boom.

The scholarship was established to encourage talented arts students with financial need to further their artistic careers. Each winner will receive a $2,000 scholarship for the 2011-12 school year for tuition, textbooks or other items for their art education.

This year’s winners are Lukas (3-D animation), Nicole Gayton (sculpture), Natasha Kinsley (painting and sculpture), Michael Ryan Reboyro (2-D animation) and Kwok Yin Mak (digital media).

To view the winners’ works and learn more about the award, visit the J.R. Hopes Art Scholarship website.