Visions, the Student Art Guild, celebrated the opening of the 30th Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition on Thursday, Jan. 17.
The exhibit features approximately 50 student art pieces carefully selected by Juror Marcia Wood. Wood, executive director and owner of Marcia Wood Gallery, also chose the winners of the Director’s Awards, Chair’s Purchase Award, and honorary mentions.
“The request to act as juror for the 30th Annual Student Art Exhibition at Kennesaw State University came as a welcomed opportunity.” said Wood in a letter addressed to the exhibit.
Wood opened her gallery in 2004 and hosts a variety of artists in exhibitions.
The gallery, well known in Atlanta, represents notable contemporary art pieces and has included video, installation, digital media, sculpture, and photography pieces. Marcia Wood Gallery is located in historic downtown Catsleberry Hill and has been critically praised by Creative Loafing Atlanta and dozens of artists she has represented.
For the Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition, Wood selected 3D sculptures, paintings, photography, and prints to fill the walls of the Fine Arts Gallery. Absolution, an oil on canvas piece by Monroe D’antignac, was chosen as the first place Director’s Award. Cash awards were also given to second and third place and to the Chair’s Purchase. “The show prepares you for rejection,” said senior Visions member Jessica Medovich, “and it helps you find your voice as an artist. It’s a real opportunity to see what pieces work in the real world.”
Medovich entered five pieces into the art show and three were selected. As a senior, she has found her niche in the art world: printmaking. While her prints, including Introducing Mr. Biggles, did not receive any awards, Medovich was honored to be a part of the gallery.
“Marcia Brown is a big name and having her select my work is such a fantastic privilege,” said Medovich. “It’s also an honor to be in the School of Art and Design not just some art department. KSU is becoming a great place to be an artist.”
KSU announced the change from department to school in 2012 and the School of Art and Design now makes up more than half of the student population within the College of Arts according to Director Joe Thomas. The curriculum has evolved with the title and art students can be confidant that KSU is as competitive as other Georgia art programs.
Visions, created in 1983 by Roberta Griffin and Patrick Taylor, strives to raise awareness surrounding the visual arts among KSU students, faculty and staff. At 337 members, Visions is the longest active student art organization and aims to promote and inspire visual art. Visions provides students the unique opportunity “to publicly show their work with the goal of advancing students’ public recognition and bolstering art careers” according to Visions’ mission statement.
“Careers don’t start until we participate and this is the first level of participation,” said Visions Co-President Holly Lacour.
The Annual Juried Student Art Exhibit will run until Feb. 21, 2013 at the Fine Arts Gallery, located in the Joe Mack Wilson Building. Many pieces in the show are available for purchase to support participating artists and future museum programming.
