54th Annual Art & Design Juried Student Exhibition Opens April 11
Parkland College Art and Design Students Showcase Work in Giertz Gallery
Parkland College's 54th annual juried Student Art and Design Exhibition will be held from April 11 to May 7 in the Giertz Gallery.
Visitors will enjoy impressive student work in photography, painting, drawing, metals, sculpture, three-dimensional design, two-dimensional design, color theory, graphic design, and ceramics. Parkland Art and Design faculty select approximately 180 works from among 300+ entries for the exhibit. Students taking art classes in the current academic year, beginning with summer 2021, were eligible to submit artwork.
An opening reception will be held on Thursday, April 14 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and will include an awards presentation at 6:15 p.m., with live music performed by the Cobra Lounge Trio.
Art and Design program director Denise Seif is among the faculty and students who look forward to this event each spring.
“I'm always so impressed when I see all the student work in the gallery. It's a celebration of their hard work and talent, and it's important for them to be a part of a gallery exhibit like this!" said Seif. "It's different than experiencing the work in a hallway or during class critiques. It puts the work on another level and allows the students to take a step back and recognize what they've accomplished.
"It's also important for gallery visitors and community members to see the work produced in the art department classrooms. We are so fortunate to have the Giertz Gallery as a venue to highlight the great work!"
As students planning on a profession in the arts begin their career path at Parkland, this exhibition allows them to showcase their extensive talent and the exploration processes they have experienced throughout their studies in art and design, according to gallery director Lisa Costello.
“It introduces them to professional practices they will encounter in their field as well, such as working with a gallery, preparing their work for exhibition, and engaging in the jurying process that is essential for an emerging artist,” Costello said. “This is a necessary component for resume building and establishing themselves as practicing artists once they graduate or transfer to a four-year college.”
During the April 14 reception, the awards ceremony at 6:15 p.m. will recognize students whose artwork shows remarkable distinction. Student artists will receive monetary awards including the Parkland President Award, the Metals Award for Jewelry/Metalsmithing, the Fine and Applied Arts Chair Award, the Parkland Art and Design Faculty Award, and the Blair Kling Memorial Art Award. In addition, the Art Coop Award for Sustained Studio Excellence will allow for art supplies purchases.
The reception will also announce scholarships for Parkland Art and Design students, including the Don Lake Art Scholarship, the Underwood-Alger Scholarship, and the Robert Ralph Ford Memorial Art Scholarship.
Merit awardees, scholarship recipients, and certificate winners retain possession of their work, while purchase awards become part of the Parkland College Student Art Collection.
To find the gallery we suggest using the M6 parking lot on the north corner of campus. Walk past the gym and the fountain area, enter through door X-7, turn left, and follow the ramp up to the highest point of the first floor, where the gallery is located. The gallery windows overlook the outdoor fountain area.
Programs at the gallery are partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. All events in the accessible gallery are free and open to the public. Parkland College is a section 504/ADA-compliant institution. For accommodation, call 217/353-2338 or email accessibilityservices@parkland.edu
For more information on the exhibit, please call the gallery office at 217/351-2485 or visit parkland.edu/gallery.