Southeast Missouri State University hosts annual high school art exhibition

Area high school art students have a reason to work hard at their craft even before reaching college. They receive a chance to see their work recognized and displayed if it is selected from other entries created and submitted by other talented high school students. Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) is going into its 32nd annual High School Art Exhibition at the university on January 31, 2010--March 7, 2010. The Department of Art at SEMO coordinates the exposition. After the final installation of work is accepted it is then displayed for one month at the Crisp Museum located at SEMO's River Campus.

The aim of the annual exhibition is to encourage art students to continue their art studies at the college level. Every year, the university hosts its High School Art Exhibition to celebrate fine art at the high school level. Thus far, the exhibition has been a great success. One proof of its popularity is that it is so highly attended drawing from all around the area.

Each student who is fortunate and talented enough to have his work shown receives the recognition he deserves for his/her creative achievements. The event also allows family, friends, and teachers the opportunity to honor and encourage the artists' hard work. Students' teachers certainly deserve an appreciative hand of applause for their help in supporting and tutoring them. In addition to having their work shown, incoming freshmen art students get a chance each year to receive an art scholarship--another way the university awards artistic talent.

Last year Southeast Missouri University presented a $1,500.00 and a $1,000 scholarship to those students that received the Best-In-Show Award and Merit Award. It also gave Academy Awards to two students. The awards covered half of the tuition for the Art Academy workshops that are held during the summer.

The selected pieces of art to be displayed are judged fairly and professionally. The art work is chosen by an outside juror every year. Quite often the particular juror is a professor of art or an artist who practices in the particular field.

Last year, 23 area teachers entered 263 pieces of art. The show had to be narrowed down to 141 accepted pieces. One can only imagine having to decide what entries were able to be show-cased.

The annual art exhibition at SEMO reaches out to numerous types of artistic talent. Rather than focusing on only one or two forms of creativity it accepts a wide range of artistic endeavors. Students can enter artwork in the areas of drawing, sculpture, ceramics, fibers, photography, printmaking, and painting. Since a variety of artistic creations are accepted more students can be recognized and credited for their efforts.

Southeast Missouri State University Art Department is indeed stepping forward each year to show how much value they place on the countless forms of fine art. By celebrating the artistic talent at the high school level, hopefully, more students will continue to study art when they reach college. Chris Wubbena, Assistant Professor/High School Art exhibition Coordinator at Southeast Missouri State University says, "I know from my background that High School Exhibitions such as this are very important in the development of young talent."