University News
Ten Students Awarded for Artwork in Annual WIU Show
April 22, 2010
MACOMB, IL - - Ten Western Illinois University art majors were awarded Foundation, purchase, merit and honorable mention awards at the annual Juried Student Awards Show that is on display in the Sullivan Taylor Coffee House on the Macomb Square through Friday, May 7.
Black Hawk College, Quad Cities campus Associate Professor of Art Zaiga Thorson was the juror. She teaches drawing, graphic design and Photoshop, and has more than 20 years of experience as a graphic designer and professional artist. Thorson has won many awards for her design and artwork, which she exhibits regionally and nationally.
She selected 52 artworks by 31 student artists for the works on display, and from those, 10 students' artworks received awards. Overall, there were 104 entries judged from 50 students.
Three College of Fine Arts and Communication/Foundation Awards were presented. First place was awarded to senior Kevin Mercer (Canton, IL), an art (BFA) major, for his mixed media pieced titled "Destruct." Mercer also earned a Merit Award for his steel and wood artwork titled "My Father's Extremities."
Second place was awarded to senior art (BFA) major Justin Hill (West Burlington, IA) for a stoneware, high fire glaze piece titled "The Nature of Man." Third place went to senior art (BFA) major Serena Stevens (Ft. Madison, IA) for her oil over collage artwork titled "Direction."
In addition to Mercer, three other Merit Awards were presented. Junior art (BFA) major Mark Padlo (Macomb, IL) received the award for "Cassie," a charcoal on paper. Senior art major Mary Brooks (Smithfield, IL) received a Merit Award and the University Union Student Art Gallery Purchase Award for her silkscreen, "Animal Series: Indonesia, Africa, Asia, Central America."
Senior Nate Billingsley (Cuba, IL), with a double major in art (BFA) and sociology, earned a Merit Award as well as the Bill and Jo Sanders University Art Gallery Purchase Award for his oil on canvas, "Self Portrait." Also selected for the Sanders Art Gallery Purchase Award was senior art (BFA) major Nick Rampson (Woodridge, IL) for his silkscreen, "After Curfew"; and senior music major (art minor) Karla Marie Kampen (Villa Park, IL) for her silkscreen, "The Daydream."
Two students earning Honorable Mention include senior art major Jamie Roth (Fairfield, IL), for "Autism Public Service Announcement" graphic design; and junior art major Dane Menzel (Williamsville, IL) for his silkscreen "Pleasant Chaos," which also earned the University Union Student Art Purchase Award.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing
Connect with us: