The Art Department will hold its Annual Fine Art Student Exhibition to honor the student body’s creative achievements from May 2-23. A reception and awards presentation will be held on May 10 from 4:30-6:30 p.m.
“[The reception] is a way for us to award the students for their hard work because just making it into the show is an honor of itself,” said Pat McClelland, gallery coordinator.
Students in the exhibition have to use their talents to produce a work of art from what they learned in their art courses.
“Their artwork has to reflect things that the students have learned here,” said Pat McClelland, gallery coordinator.
The exhibition is highly competitive as 300 pieces of artwork are initially submitted. Only 120-130 pieces will be exhibited in the Burnell R. Roberts Triangle Gallery or the Works on Paper Gallery in Building 13.
For art students, McClelland said it is all worth it.
“It is a highlight of the year for me to see what our students are doing,” he said. “Our students receive practical experience from learning how to exhibit their art to being juried into a professional show.”
Emily Hanako Momohara, an associate professor at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, will judge this year’s show.
“It is quite an honor to be asked to jury the Sinclair Student Art Competition. I’m excited to come to the campus and see what the students are creating,” Momohara said.
The faculty decides which juror to bring to Sinclair to judge the show. Many of the jurors are teachers and professionals who live in Ohio from Cincinnati to Springfield.
“We choose a juror because we don’t want the show to be biased. I know some of the students who are submitting work,” McClelland said. “There is a sense of pride for me when my students’ work get into the show, that’s why I don’t jury.”
From the 120-130 pieces of artwork selected, there will be seven winners from the painting, printmaking, collage, drawing, photography, sculpture and ceramics categories.
The first place winner earns the title Best of Show. Few prizes will be awarded in each of the seven categories, but there is only one winner.
“This exhibition is highly competitive, there is quality work,” McClelland said.
George Hageman and Mark Echtner have been the co-chairs of the Fine Arts Student Exhibition for several years. Hageman said he looks forward to the annual student exhibition.
“The students have a chance to showcase their talent and to me that is the greatest benefit of the show,” Hageman said. “Come in and enjoy and see what fellow students are doing in art.”
The galleries are open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.