BIDDEFORD — Move over Monet and Picasso, there’s a new artistic talent emerging in Biddeford and his name is John Gatchalian.

As a confirmation of his creative talent and with hundreds of his classmates cheering for him during a school assembly, Gatchalian, a seventh-grader at Biddeford Middle School, was honored Thursday as the 2019 Maine winner of the Doodle 4 Google contest. His artwork depicting paint supplies on a table spelling out Google was chosen by judges and Google Doodlers as the best doodle this year from the state and it will now be displayed in an online gallery on the Doodle for Google website.

Gatchalian’s winning contest entry for Grade 6-7 also means the public will have a chance to vote for him to become a Doodle for Google National Finalist. Voting begins June 3 and ends June 7 at doodle4google.com. The online voting will determine five finalists, one from each grade group, and then Google executives will choose a national winner, whose winning doodle will be displayed on Google’s homepage for a day, along with a $30,000 college scholarship and $50,000 for technology initiatives at the winner’s school.

“I was pretty nervous when they called my name,” Gatchalian said. “I kind of had an idea I was going to win, but it was pretty amazing to be up there on the stage and have everybody cheering for me.”

By winning the Maine contest, Gatchalian finds himself in the company of accomplished young artists who have won previously. Since 2008, contest Doodles are intended to surprise and delight people when they visit Google.com with past Doodles celebrating some of the most brilliant, talented, and passionate people throughout history.

According to Liz Ames, Biddeford Middle School art teacher, Gatchalian is a deserving recipient of the honor.

“So, the theme for this year’s Doodle 4 Google was for ‘When I grow up I hope …’ and John’s response was that he hoped in the future that he would be a famous artist so that he could bring color and happiness to the world through his art. John reimagined an artist’s studio transforming all of the letters of ‘Google’ as different parts of his artist’s desk,” Ames said. “John has always been a model student, and a perfect example of how perseverance and creativity pays off.”

She said that students worked on the designs for the contest during class a school, but John took his artwork home, and improved on it as well before it was submitted for consideration by Doodle for Google judges.

“Art is important to him, and therefore he makes it a priority in his life. In a time where schools are cutting arts programs, this recognition and attention is a great opportunity to take a moment and thank an artist and future artists for making the world happier and more colorful,” Ames said. “I begin the school year asking students why art is important to them, and every single student has a reason why — from clothing to cars, and everything in-between. It is such an honor to teach Biddeford students like John who can see how art can change the world, and are already doing so by pushing themselves to do their best.

“John is such an asset to Biddeford’s young community, and I can’t wait to follow his career in the future,” she said. “I hope he doesn’t forget about us when he’s famous.”

Biddeford Middle School Principal Scott Descoteaux said Gatchalian’s win should be a source of pride for the entire city of Biddeford.

“It’s an indication of some of the great things that go on in our school and there’s a lot of wonderful things happening in Biddeford,” Descoteaux said. “It’s an indication of all of the good things in this school.”

In winning the state contest, Gatchalian’s artwork was judged on artistic merit, artistic skill, creativity, representation of the contest theme, use of the letters in the Google logo, a unique approach to the doodle and how well the contest theme is expressed in both the artwork and his written statement describing why he entered the contest.

For winning the state contest, he received a certificate, some Google hardware, a Google swag bag and a Google Chromebook.

“I love drawing and the arts,” Gatchalian said. “My dream is to become a famous artist.”

He is the son of Rosephine and Erwin Gatchalian of Biddeford.

— Executive Editor Ed Pierce can be reached at 282-1535 or by email at editor@journaltribune.com