Graduate students display artwork for competition |
Melinda Hawkins |
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Graduate students in the SIUE art department are offering fellow students and art lovers a look at their best work. The annual Graduate Exhibition opens with a reception at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the New Wagner Art Gallery in the Art and Design Building. The gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. The show runs until Jan. 25. The show is also a competition amongst the grad students and will be judged by William Hawk, who teaches drawing and painting at the University of Missouri- Columbia. "Each graduate student is required to submit three pieces of work to be juried for the exhibition. William Hawk will make the decision regarding which pieces will be in the show," show organizer Dianne Lynch said. "We also have approximately $1,000 in awards for the best pieces," she added. Dennis Ringering, a drawing professor and head of the SIUE drawing department, said, "This exhibition is a chance to showcase the wonderful work being done by our graduate students. This is an excellent chance to see the work and specialties of students working in their individual areas of expertise, and also to see the products of the next generation of American artists." According to Luanne Rimel, a third-year graduate student in the fibers department, the show "will feature a wide variety of high quality work from students who are focused on their chosen craft. It should be a really interesting mix, and well worth coming to see." This is the first time Lisa Forsyth, a first-year graduate student in the fibers department, has shown her work. "It is somewhat intimidating because many of the students in the show are about to graduate and have more experience with showing their work in a gallery," Forsyth said. Paul Linden, a second-year graduate student in the sculpture department, promises the show will be interesting. "One of the strengths of this department is the diversity of our students. This is a great opportunity to see fantastic work because we are lucky to have a group of graduate students who make really strong work," he said. "I think people who come to view the show will be amazed by the wide spectrum of truly unique work being done by this department. We would like to encourage as many students as possible to come and experience the work being done here," Linden said. Ringering said the exhibition is rewarding to both the students and the viewers. "Many people don't realize that art is a very difficulty and specialized field to break in to. The art department does not have a doctorate degree. The graduate students in this exhibition are working toward a master of fine arts, which is the equivalent of a doctorate degree. I would encourage people to come see the exhibition, not only to support our graduate students, but to share in the fruits of their intensive labor and experience," Ringering said. | |