Three Grand Valley State University art students went home a little richer Tuesday night.

GVSU’s art and design department and School of Communications recognized students who entered pieces into the first Juried Student Art Show on Tuesday night.

Approximately 350 pieces were entered into the competition with each student being allowed to enter up to three works of art. About 35 students participated and about 100 works were chosen for the show.

One of the two $300 purchase awards was awarded to senior Ashley Umstead.

“I was encouraged by professor Victoria Veenstra to enter the show,” Umstead said. “It was a great opportunity to be recognized by the University. It was also a great opportunity for students because most shows require an entrance fee, this show had no charge.”

She entered three pieces, two digital photographs from her Computer Photo I class and one color photograph from her Color Printing class. She also received an honorable mention in the photography category.

“I was excited to just be in the show, so when they announced my name for both awards I could not believe it,” Umstead said. “I feel so honored to have been chosen from a group of so many talented artists. My first thought when I received the awards was that this was a confirmation from God that I am in the field He wants me to be in.”

Umstead said she plans to use the award money in her next investment, a new lens.

The other purchase award went to Rachel Marcincavage, for Dunny Honour. The awards were funded by the budgets in the Art and Design department and the School of Communications.

The $150 faculty and staff award was awarded to Ariana Ortega for her piece My Revolution, which was funded by the faculty and staff in the art department.

Bill Hosterman, associate professor of art and the faculty member currently in charge of events in the Padnos Gallery, said he thought the reception went well and was happy to see many new faces in the gallery that he haven’t seen before.

“There was a general agreement in the department that we needed to create a large event that publicized the department, brought people together and gave the students an opportunity to exhibit their work,” Hosterman said.

Hosterman was primarily responsible for organizing the event. There was also a committee including: Virginia Jenkins, the chair of the art department, Tony Thompson, the head of the School of Communications, Dellas Henke, the head of printmaking in the art department and Rick Weis, the head of foundations in the art department. There were also numerous students in both departments that helped in the installation of the exhibit.

Submissions were judged by artists from different institutions: Johanna Pass from Central Michigan University, Kate Silvio from Kendall College of Art and Design and Mike Rebholz, from Madison, Wisconsin. Categories for the show included ceramics, graphic designs, paintings, sculptures, drawings, illustrations, photographs, mixed media and electronic works, film and video, metals and printmaking – a student received an honorable mention in each of the categories.

The exhibit is located in the Padnos Gallery in the Calder Art Center and will be open through March 28.

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