By Laura Koenig | Echo
A shoulder, a back, an arm-the photos celebrate distinct parts of the body, showing the beauty and peculiarity of every individual. Senior Sarah Coss's entries are one example of the many being submitted to Taylor's annual All Student Art Show.
"The goal is to celebrate and showcase exceptional work," said Jonathan Bouw, art department co-chair. "It gives them a venue to show their work because this is what a lot of them are going to be doing for a living."
Students can submit entries in four different mediums: photography, design, 2D and 3D. However, there is no guarantee that the artwork will make it into the show. Ron Mazellan, an art professor at Indiana Wesleyan University, will come and judge the expected 200 entries, choosing only a certain number of pieces to display.
The show has been providing a venue for students since 1996. In the 2014 show, only 60 out of the 160 entries were chosen. Since the show's date was moved from February to May this year, even more entries are expected, as students have had more time to complete their projects.
Coss, a photography major, plans on submitting the photos from her senior show.
"I don't really expect to win anything, but it's nice to see what people think of my work. There's an outside juror coming in, so it's nice to see what someone from outside of Taylor thinks."
Junior graphic design major Lizzie Wilson will be submitting a graphic design piece from her Design History class.
"I just want to get in the show and be featured in the gallery," Wilson said. "It would look good in my portfolio, and it gets my stuff out there."
Coss is also excited to see the work of non-art majors.
"I absolutely love going to the shows and seeing what other students beyond the art department are producing," Coss said. "I think that it is really eye-opening for the other students in the art department and can broaden our perspectives."
Not only will students have the opportunity to display their work, but they could also win awards and sell their pieces at student-set prices. In previous years, some of the pieces were purchased by the art department and Zondervan Library.
Along with the opportunity to sell their artwork, multiple awards are possible for the exhibitors, such as the Haines Purchase Prize ($1,000), Best of Show ($350) and the Mitchell Purchase Prize (based on artwork sale price). Each medium category also has a first, second and third place cash award. The prizes are from generous donations, as well as endowment funds.
The juror will choose the final pieces for the show on April 28. The All Student Art Show, along with the awards presentation, begins on May 1 at 6 p.m.
