MUNCIE, Ind. — Ball State University’s 91st Annual Art Show opened to the public on February 13. This show features the work of fine arts students of all different majors and culminates in everything from charcoal drawings and short animation videos to life-size sculptures.
With jurors changing annually, students get a fresh opportunity to submit their work and get professional exhibition experience. Students like Kylie Cole have been working towards acclimations like these since she got to college.
Cole is a third-year photography student at Ball State University. This year’s Student Art Show will be the third gallery that she has been featured in. On display is a dark room print that Cole described as a “high contrast nature photo.”
“A lot of my work has been rejected,” Cole said. “So, I feel like I learn more from being rejected than actually being put in [to the show].”
Though Cole has faced dismissal before, she is proud of the hard work and long hours spent in the photography studio that have pushed her to become a better artist.
Cole is a big advocate for artists sharing their work, even in the face of critique.
“It’s hard because it’s scary,” Cole said. “But you never know if you don’t do it.”
It was Cole's encouragement that convinced fourth-year animation student Paige Coleman to enter her own work to be juried.
Coleman has three pieces in the show, titled “Wading through Water,” “Loose Threads” and “Playing with Fire.” Contrary to her illustration concentration with animation, this collection was made with watercolor and gouache. The pieces express many of her personal experiences with childhood wonder, imagination and self-perception.
Coleman appreciates her friendships with other art students like Cole, who have influenced much of her work.
“Creating an environment where you feel the ability to create work that you’re proud of, like they really just build me up, to the point where I can just draw or paint or sketch or do whatever without feeling like it needs to be perfect,” Coleman said. “Because we’re learning, and we’re still students, and perfection is fake.”
While the students navigate these milestones in their artistic and academic careers, they celebrate one another's accomplishments.
The receptions and awards ceremony for the student art show in the Ned and Gloria Griner Art Gallery will take place on February 21 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. To support these students, you can visit the gallery, located on the first floor of the Art and Journalism building on Ball State’s campus.
Contact Tatum Harris with comments at tatum.harris@bsu.edu.
