By Annika Wickham
SUNY Oswego’s Tyler Art Gallery showcased a variety of student artwork during the 59th annual Juried Art Exhibition, which was open to the campus community and the public from Feb. 4-20.
The event is a SUNY Oswego Art Department tradition, which allows students of any academic year, submit their artwork. As a completely student based show, Ellen Weber, the president of the Student Art Exhibition Committee, said it is a great opportunity for students to showcase their art, especially because it is an annual event.
“It’s just something that we have always done,” Weber said. “It’s always been here and it’s a really good chance for students to get their work out there. I know places like knowing that [students] are going and getting their work out there in exhibitions, so this is a good chance for students to show what they are doing.”
Each submission is evaluated by an independent juror who then decides which pieces go into the exhibit. This year’s juror was David Owens, a 2015 SUNY Oswego alumnus who is an “award-winning illustrator and freelance art director based in Central New York,” according to NNY 360.
Meghan Fisher, a graphic design student at SUNY Oswego, had her painting “Psychedelic Pizza” featured in the show and said though “it was just amazing,” she wished she had submitted her work sooner.
“They extended the deadline this year … [and] I have a lot of bodies of work I think could get in so I just applied,” Fisher said. “It ended up working out, but I could have been doing this since freshman year. I’m glad I did it, better late than never. ”
Along with having their artwork displayed in a gallery, students also had the chance to win other awards and scholarships, which were listed next to the winning pieces during the exhibition.
“There are purchase awards that students can earn,” Weber said. “ The club [Student Art Exhibition Committee] likes to pick a few pieces that go in the permanent collection here in Tyler, the president likes to purchase some awards as well; The gallery director also likes to either buy a few pieces or recognize [some artists].”
All students featured in the exhibit were invited to a reception on Feb. 11 with alumni, professors and other members of the campus community who came together to “celebrate art and what people accomplished,” Fisher said.
“It just feels good to be accepted and to have your work accepted by people who are very high up,” Fisher said. “I’m all for interpretive art, that’s who I am. I want to make my art to make people think and feel something. I just want to make someone’s day when they look at it.”
Tyler Art Gallery will be hosting their next exhibit “Alberto Rey: Oswego Biological Regionalism” from March 3-April 2. For more information, call the gallery at 315-312-2112.
Image via Meghan Fisher
