Bluffton University’s Sauder Visual Arts Center opened its doors to display student art beginning Tuesday, April 20. The gallery showcases over 90 pieces of art from university students, making it one of Bluffton’s biggest student gallery displays on record.
Philip Sudgen, artist and assistant director of studio art, has been working with the various students during courses in preparation for submitting to the student gallery. This year, there were a total of 183 entries across 10 categories: drawing, painting, watercolor, printmaking, photography, ceramics, 2-D design, 3-D design, computer generated and sculpture. With the cancellation of last spring’s student show, students had two years worth of pieces to submit.
“If you were not chosen, don’t freak out about this,” Sudgen said. “I’ve gotten more rejections in all of my years of being an artist than all of you will probably ever get. It’s just part of being an artist and being a human being.”
The selection of pieces to be showcased were judged by Dan Chudzinski, curator and director of the Mazza Museum at the University of Findlay. Chudzinski made his selections based on works showing concept, technique, and good presentation. Along with his role in accepting pieces, he also chose several award winners.
Best of Show: Leslie Diaz: Power of Beauty
Leslie Diaz’s Power of Beauty photograph, winner of Best in Show and Best in Photography category. Photo captured by Payton Stephens.
Distinction Awards:
Devon Bilimek: Digital art and body of work
Leslie Diaz: Photography and body of work
Autumn Graves: Photography and body of work
Berlin Fuqua: Body of work
Best in Category:
Drawing: Martha Foltz: Untitled Anatomical Study
Painting: Leah Tabler: One Life Many Pieces
Watercolor: Caitlyn Renner: Highway to Heaven
Printmaking: Shelby Herrman: Childhood
Photography: Leslie Diaz: The Power of Beauty
Ceramics: Olivia Tennefoss: Nature’s Tea
3-D Design: Kelly Bilen: Atlas Moth;
2-D Design: Kelly Bilen: Memento Mari
Computer Generated: Devon Bilimek: Mocking
Sculpture: Berlin Fuqua: Familiar
Judges Choice:
Caitlynn Renner: Teapot and Small Pitcher
Jenia Freewalt: Killke
Lauren Williams: Pose Z
Additional awards were appointed to students including the Presidential Award, only having been created this year. The Presidential Award is chosen by President Jane Wood herself, and this year’s recipient was Caitlynn Renner for her watercolor piece “Highway to Heaven”. Along with the Presidential Award is the Gregg Luginbuhl Award for Ceramics—recipient being Marissa Hall with her mug and plate set, and the Lion and Lamb Award chosen by Louise Matthews whose recipient was Shelby Herrmann with her drawing “Stop Human Trafficking”.
Leah Tabler, a junior English major, ended up winning best in category of painting with her mandala “One Life Many Pieces”. Tabler’s piece is an embroidery on canvas, each section of the mandala representing another part of who she is. All of the sections end up leading to the true core of herself, that being her faith. Tabler says she fell in love with her piece the more she worked on it and was able to learn more about herself during the process.
“It’s me, in a mandala,” Tabler said. “And with it being embroidery it’s just stitches, you can take stitches out and put more in easily. It can be changed, which really shows how life changes.”
The student art gallery will be up for people to see until May 7, at which point the students can take their pieces home or sell them if arranged.
