Wallace States hosts reception for art show participants
CONTACT: Gail Crutchfield, Communications and Marketing, Wallace State Community College, 256.352.8064, gail.crutchfield@wallacestate.edu
HANCEVILLE, Ala. – Artists who submitted work to the Juried Visual Arts Exhibition at Wallace State Community College were able to see their creations on display recently during a reception held in their honor.
The “Spring Folly” themed show was held as part of the college’s Arts in April events series, and was on display through Saturday in the atrium of the Burrow Center for the Fine and Performing Arts. Works in several categories – drawing, painting, photography, mixed media, ceramics/sculpture, and computer art – were on display. The exhibition was open to the community, with five age categories open for submissions from kindergarteners all the way to adult artists.
Adrian Scott, Wallace State Art Department Faculty and Visual Communications Chair, said it is always fun to see the entries as they come in for the annual art show, especially the artwork of the school-age artists who may be entering a show for the first time.
“It’s awesome, and particularly with the younger participants because it encourages them,” Scott said. As the younger participants arrived at the Burrow Center to see their art on display Scott encouraged them to document their artwork as they create more to develop a portfolio they can use in the future.
He also reminded them of two art scholarships the college gives out each year to students entering the program.
“Many students make the mistake of thinking, ‘Oh, I’ll never get it,’ so they never try for a scholarship,” Scott said.
Several of the students in the exhibition expressed interest in the college art program in their future.
Samantha Millwood, a sixth-grader at Vinemont Middle School, won second place in the photography category for her age division. She said she decided to enter the exhibition after seeing a posting on Facebook, and submitted a photo of a dandelion she titled “Dainty Dandelion.”
Miseal Bautista a junior at Cullman High School entered two paintings into the exhibit, the first two paintings he ever completed. One of them, “Unnoticed Leaves” earned him a third-place ribbon in his age category for ninth through 12th grade.
Miseal said he is working on another painting, this time of people, to enter into upcoming shows, which Scott also encouraged.
“The more you show the better,” Scott said. “It’s just good for the artist. It’s not necessarily about winning, just really learning to put it out there.”
David Turner a ninth-grader at Cullman High School was the winner in the computer art category, a Salvador Dali-inspired piece called “Persistence of Spring.” He pieced together the artwork using photo manipulation software program.
He downloaded different pieces of artwork to use in the piece, taking him about three days to complete.
“I really, really love surrealism, so I went with that,” he said of his creation. “I had a really hard time getting rid of the melting clocks. That took a while.”
Cullman High School art teacher Melissa Arnold said her students look forward to the spring art show sponsored by Wallace State. The CHS students were the largest contributor to this year’s event.
She appreciates Wallace State providing the students with the opportunity to show their work.
“I like for them to see their art on display,” she said. “It shows them that what they do is important. So for them be recognized is helpful. They all start out a little unsure and ask themselves, is it good enough and is it right.”
A list of all the winners in the juried art exhibition is available at www.wallacestate.edu/artsinapril.
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Kristen Holmes
Director, Communications & Marketing
Wallace State Community College
P.O. Box 2000, Hanceville, AL 35077
1-866-350-9722 256-352-8118 direct
256-352-8314 fax 256-339-2519 cell
Visit us online at www.wallacestate.edu