Zoë Strickland | Editor-in-Chief

Every spring term, the Cannon Gallery of Art uses their Juried Student Art Exhibition to show off what Western students have to offer. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the exhibition, which displays sculptures, paintings and prints as well as graphic design pieces.

“I believe over 200 pieces were entered, and about 85 were selected,” said senior education studies major Katie Dillard. “We were allowed to submit up to six pieces each, and I entered six paintings that I felt best displayed my artistic ability. Five of my six pieces were chosen by the juror to be displayed in the student show.”

This year’s juror was Michael Hernandez, owner of the High Street Gallery and The Bruin Co. in Salem, Oregon. In addition to the jurying of accepted works, select departments on campus also have the ability to hand out awards to individual works. Amongst these awards are the Woodcock Education Center Purchase Award, WOU Bookstore Award and Art Faculty Award, among others.

“Before the exhibit opened, representatives from Werner University Center, the Richard Woodcock Education Center and the City of Monmouth come and choose a piece or pieces for purchase awards, meaning that they buy a work from the artist to add to their permanent collections,” explained Paula Booth, assistant professor of art and Cannon Gallery of Art director. “Others, such as the Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the WOU Bookstore staff and the art department faculty choose artworks to be given awards for excellence. As well, the juror of the exhibit gives awards.”

For some students, many of the submitted pieces were ones done for class.

“A lot of my artwork was created in class, so I had little control over the subject/objects being painted,” said Dillard. “However, I always try to find the beauty in the shadows, colors and form of even the most ordinary of objects. If there was any conjoining message or theme between my pieces, it would be about capturing beauty.”

One of Dillard’s pieces, an oil painting titled “One step towards change,” won the WOU Bookstore Award.

“I explore many different mediums and each message (and) theme is different,” said senior art major Bethany Coma. “I have focuses in printmaking, painting and sculpture … I want my audience to be as excited when they see my work as I was creating it.”

Two of Coma’s featured pieces won awards — “Astro-Kitty,” an intaglio etching of an astronaut cat won a Werner University Center Honorable Mention and the Woodcock Education Center Purchase Award and “Drowning,” a trace transfer monotype, won an Art Faculty Recognition Award.

“My favorite thing being included in the show is the opportunity to be able to show the public what I’ve been working on,” said Coma. “It’s such a great feeling to be a part of such a great art program and that they do this for the students every year.”

While the exhibit is rewarding for those who get to share their artwork, Dillard also mentioned how seeing the exhibit making process itself was rewarding: “The gallery director and staff did a phenomenal job of helping frame, arrange and hang the artwork so the pieces complimented each other. I had the opportunity to observe the process as I am taking a gallery exhibition class this term, and hadn’t realized the dedication and work it took to put together a successful show.”

Capping off the exhibitions for the academic year, this exhibit will be up in the Cannon Gallery of Art in Campbell Hall until June 13.

Contact the author at journaleditor@wou.edu

Photo by Zoë Strickland