Students competing to have art added to university collection

More than 90 students at Grand Valley will compete for the chance to have their artwork permanently added to the university's art collection during the 4th Annual Juried Student Exhibition.

The exhibition will be on display March 21-31 in the Padnos Student Art and Design Gallery located in Calder Art Center on the Allendale Campus. An award ceremony and special reception will take place Thursday, March 24, from 5-6 p.m.

The showcase aims to highlight outstanding artwork by students from not only the Art and Design Department, but also the School of Communications' film and video and photography programs.

Henry Matthews, Galleries and Collections director, will select three works that will be added to the university's permanent art collection, currently consisting of more than 13,000 pieces.

Last year, a piece by Lucas Butcher, who graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in sculpture, won a purchase award.

"It had been my goal to achieve that award since passing my foundation courses, and it is an honor to be among so many other students and artists who have had the opportunity to display one of their works at this institution," said Butcher, from Gaylord. "I hope that my work, 'Navigation,' will inspire other students to think creatively and to pursue what they are passionate about."

This year's exhibit will feature more than traditional artwork as submissions come from various artistic practices, including ceramics, drawing, graphic design, illustration, jewelry and metals, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and time-based works viewed on screen.

The exhibit and competition additionally call upon professionals and educators outside of the Grand Valley community to select the participants in the showcase and the monetary award winners.

The Juried Student Exhibition is open to the public during normal gallery hours. For more information, contact the Art and Design Department at (616) 331-3486 or visit www.gvsu.edu/art.