Many artists spend their entire lives hoping to have their work put on exhibition.

For six Warren Central students, that became a reality last week when their ceramic pieces were put on display at the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art.

“The work is really fantastic,” said Barbara Johnson Ross, the curator of the non-profit Biloxi museum.

Nineteen pieces created in several different mediums by students from seven different high schools were selected for “Unrivaled” high school art competition.

Warren Central’s Baxter Richardson’s untitled fish ceramic piece earned him third place in the competition.

Seniors Ridley Fink, Christine Miller, Mary Elizabeth Ferracci and Emily Bennett and sophomore Kailyn McCarley also had their works selected to participate in the display.

Ross said the competition was popular before it was discontinued one year after Hurricane Katrina caused substantial damage to the museum.

“This is our first year back, so we expect the interest to be even greater next year,” she said.

“We were definitely excited,” said Warren Central art teacher Jonathan Hart. “The students get a chance to have their artwork displayed.”

Hart said that, given their short-notice entry in the competition, the students were not expecting their pieces to be selected.

“They were extremely surprised when they found out,” he said.

The exhibition, which is sponsored by Mississippi Power, will be on display through May 31 at the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art, 386 Beach Blvd. in Biloxi. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is free to Mississippi resident as well as active and retired military personnel each Friday.

For more information, call 228-374-5547 or visit the museum website at georgeohr.org