Photos by Dominic Brown
Dominic Brown
Lantern Staff
The Art Department’s annual Student Art Show at the E.B. White Art Gallery kicked off Monday, April 17, showcasing some of the best work that the department’s students have worked on all semester.
“During the year, everyone sees the other shows from the vocal, instrument and theater department,” sophomore ceramics student Kat Smalley said. “This is our final showing of what we have created during the year.”
Each year for the show, students in the department are required to choose two or more pieces of their work for submission. A judge then decides whether it stays in the gallery or if it is displayed in the 700 building. Judging took place on Tuesday, April 11 by professional artist and former Wichita State Art Professor Kathleen Shanahan who viewed hundreds of pieces throughout the day. This year, the show had an overwhelming amount of submissions remain in the gallery.
“Katherine is a really great painter and a very important member of the art community,” Professor of Art Valerie Haring said. “She recognizes good art, looking at overall composition, quality of mark, use of color for paintings, for ceramics if it’s light and well-crafted or not. The judges we hire, no matter what they do, they still recognize normal elements of design.”
Freshman Sarah Allen won first in 3D, sophomore Emiliano Molina won first in 2D, freshman Nathan Dewitt received second in 2D, freshman Giizhig Rutledge received third in 2D, freshman Paige Pacher received second in 3D and sophomores Elizabeth Vest and Mary Alexis Wirths received third in 3D.
Smalley received the Trish Coates Award, sophomore Delaney McCaig won the Valerie Haring Award, and the John Oehm Award went to freshman Klare Hufman and sophomore Shelby Robertson received Best in Show.
Apart from the hired judge, students in the program also vote for the top 5 pieces for the Student Choice Awards. Freshmen Alex Brough, Belle Rausch, Elza High, Samantha Knop and Caitlin Sader were the recipients of the Student Choice Awards.
The department began breaking down the Student Art Show on Wednesday, May 3 and began setting up the Student Art Sale. Typically, students produce a lot of 2D prints of their original works as well as a lot of ceramic pieces.
“Mothers like hand crafted stuff, (and) it’s a great Mother’s Day present,” Smalley said.
The Student Art Sale is particularly important because it give the students a chance to get a return on their hard work.
“For most of the students, the extra cash really helps considering kids might end up shelling out almost $150 in the first week alone on supplies,” Haring said.
The sale will open on Tuesday, May 9 to Wednesday, May 10 from 10 a.m. to two p.m.