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Troy Moon, Pensacola State College
Art lovers have until Tuesday, April 13, to vote for their favorite piece of student work on exhibit now at Pensacola State College’s Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts.
Seventy-eight pieces of art created by 32 students are on display in the Switzer Gallery for the Art Student Honors Exhibition. The exhibit, which opened on April 1, runs through April 30.
“We do it to showcase students’ talents and their best work over the past year,’’ Gallery Director and Chief Curator of the Switzer Center Michelle Schulte said of the annual exhibition which has been held for more than 50 years.
“AL203(SiO2)2(H2O)2” by Isabella Orrantia.
“But it’s also a showcase for our instructors’ instructional ability. All pieces in the exhibition are picked by the faculty. The exhibition is completely instructor curated.”
The exhibit features a variety of media, including ceramics, drawing, painting, digital design, photography and sculpture.
Visitors to the Switzer Center are urged to vote for their favorite piece in the exhibit for a Student’s/People’s Choice Award. Paper ballots are available at the Switzer Center. Votes must be cast at the visual arts center – there is no online voting.
In total, 14 prizes will be awarded to the student-artists – 10 cash and four merchandise awards. There are different criteria for the prize categories.
PSC Visual Arts student Amber Beasley has four different photo pieces in the show.
“We have a chance to show our work which is a great opportunity,’’ Beasley said. “And we have a chance to win potential scholarships and prizes, which is great. I’m a single mom with a special needs child and any help I can get is huge and appreciated.”
Alaina Plowdrey, Visual Arts Department head, said the student exhibition shows the breadth of what is taught at the College.
“It’s a very strong exhibition with a plethora of options, techniques, abilities and subject matter,’’ Plowdrey noted. “I’ve been looking at the exhibit for about two weeks now. It’s nice to see all the different disciplines displayed and what the instructors chose. Art is subjective, but in education there are levels of objectivity you have to apply to get into an exhibition like this.”
The Anna Lamar Switzer Center is Building 15 on the Pensacola campus. Gallery hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Friday. There is no admission fee. Visitors must wear face masks and follow social distancing guidelines.
Details: 850-484-2563, https://visualarts.pensacolastate.edu/.
“Every New Day” by Cameron Patterson.