Each year, the Juried Student Exhibition at the Regional Arts Center showcases students who are both honing talents and stretching their skill sets.
From a lion's head sculpture to a collaborative black-and-white mural to a dress made out of paper, the artwork at this year's show displays a dazzling array of diversity. Often, the artists are adventurous, too, in subject matter or style. Their imaginations make for interesting art.
This year's 24th annual art show displays excellence in craft and variety across three different age divisions: elementary, middle school and high school. Amy Donohoe, director of visual arts and community programs for the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council, said 330 entries from 20 area schools and three private instructors were received."We had 80 high school entries accepted, 46 middle school entries accepted and 28 elementary school entries accepted for a total of 154 entries total in the exhibit," Donohoe said.
In each division, a Best of Show and first through third place awards will be given, in addition to honorable mentions and merit awards. A People's Choice award will be selected at the opening reception, which takes place Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to noon. Voting occurs from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. with winners announced a short time later.
"Overall, I think there is a very strong variety of artwork, as well as a high level of craftsmanship displayed by the student artists," Donohoe said. This year's high school division was dominated by students from Pleasant Grove High School.
Donohoe was particularly impressed with works like "Pride," the lion sculptural piece made by student Sarah Russell from Horatio High School, for the amount of effort and attention to details with such aspects as a mane created from ribbons.Or there's the paper dress created by Pleasant Grove High School student Kathrin Jaeger. "That was really impressive with the whole structure, and the fact it was all made from a single book, some masking tape and some wire," Donohoe said.
A "100 Hour Drawing" work is a massive collaborative effort created by an advanced art class at PG, said TRAHC's visual arts director. Several feet wide, the mural features images seemingly drawn by several students. The judge, Scotland Stout of Southern Arkansas University, was impressed with this one, said Donohoe, because he'd done a similar project with his students.
"He was happy to see that other teachers were incorporating that into their classrooms," said Donohoe, who's been pleased to see schools from as far as Valliant and Idabel, Okla., participate over the past couple years.
"We're happy to have them and excited that they're traveling all this way to enter our art show," she said, noting that makes this show a tri-state competition. She was also impressed with the elementary school students.
"You can see that they're learning their basic skills and techniques in elementary art pieces," she said. Many of these students are accomplished drawers, but she saw students working at a higher level this year. Middle school was also strong.
She invites the community to see the show and support their local, young artists, and to appreciate the strong art programs they come from, whether it's local schools or private instructors.
What does Donohoe hope students gain from being part of the Juried Student Exhibition? It's a big honor, for one thing, the chance to be treated like an adult and professional artist.
"I hope that students are motivated to keep drawing, painting, sculpting, taking photographs, refining their craft and expressing their creativity," she said. "I believe that TRAHC's annual juried art show gives them the opportunity to get positive feedback on their work."
The 24th annual Juried Student Exhibition will be displayed through June 25.
(Admission is free. The RAC is open at 321 W. 4th St. in Texarkana, Texas, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. More info: TRAHC.org or 903-792-8681.)