04/16/2024
Student Select 2024, an annual, juried exhibition featuring artwork created by 50 SUNY Cortland art students, opened on Monday and runs through Friday, May 3, in the Dowd Fine Arts Center’s Dowd Gallery.
Carla Stetson, a contemporary artist and educator in the Ithaca, N.Y., region, was invited to be this year’s juror by the student-run Art Exhibition Association, which organized and sponsored the exhibition.
“I selected pieces that I believe will make a strong student exhibition showcasing works from all media areas,” Stetson said.
Student Select 2024 will feature an opening reception and awards ceremony from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17, in the Dowd Gallery. The ceremony will feature the student artists, faculty and staff from the Art and Art History Department and Stetson. Winners will be announced for best in show, second prize, third prize and honorable mentions.
Also during the ceremony, the winner of the fourth Muriel and Newell Keegan Prize for Excellence in Studio Art will be announced, and Dana Garrison, a graduating BFA studio art major with a concentration in painting, will deliver her BFA thesis defense on her body of work, “In the Weeds.”
The exhibition and opening reception are free and open to the public.
Stetson, whose work was displayed in the Dowd Gallery's recent “Eye Witness” exhibition, made her final selection of work on April 9. She chose for the exhibition 76 pieces made by 50 student artists out of 97 submissions. Their names are listed at the end of the article.
“This year’s exhibition explores the depths of the Art and Art History Department’s studio course diversity with a range of work from foundational courses through specializations,” Stetson said. “Visitors will experience a varied display of drawing, sculpture, ceramics, digital, print media, fibers, painting and more.
“Besides the first, second and third place winners, I selected three worthy honorable mentions. These award-winning works stood out for many reasons, most importantly a brave and innovative use of materials combined with an original, often very personal, conceptual basis. They were poignant, sometimes humorous and each winning entry demonstrated exceptional technical skill.”
Garrison’s BFA exhibition “In the Weeds” is on display in the west wing of the Dowd Gallery. Scott Oldfield, gallery interim director, described “In the Weeds” as a journey through the artist’s relationship with herself and the individuals surrounding her.
“Each piece provides a window into the intricate tapestry of emotions, experiences and connections that have shaped her existence,” Oldfield noted.
“Through a dynamic use of color, form and symbolism, the artist delves into the complexities of human interaction, exploring themes of love, loss and resilience,” Oldfield said.
"In our lives, we can find comfort in comparison," Garrison said of her mainly mixed media work, which allows her to create layers that push and pull each other, symbolizing fluctuations in the human condition.
"A bad day can be compared to a bump in the road which wears itself out over time. A first touch with someone we come to love can be fireworks. Comparison helps us make sense of feelings that may be hard for us to experience: a juxtaposition of our emotions and experience to the known and accepted. Growing up surrounded by nature, from my grandfather’s garden to the dense forest behind my childhood home, I use symbols of nature as proxies for my personal experiences and emotions."
During finals week, the gallery will remain open with a pared-down exhibition as students remove their work and faculty picks are relocated for display at Memorial Library.
The gallery in Dowd Center is located on the corner of Graham Avenue and Prospect Terrace. The Dowd Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays; and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursdays. Walk-ins are welcome. The exhibition is closed on Saturdays.
For more information, an appointment, a tour, or additional images, contact Oldfield at 607-753-4216. Visit the SUNY Cortland Dowd Gallery website for details about exhibiting artists, other programs, safety protocols and group visits.
Participants in this year’s Student Select include:
Jade VanZile
Angie Tillapaugh
Madison Hanford
Allison Perna
Danielle Lewis
Gabz Danyew
Megan Ludgate
Devon Blackwood
Meghan Wardell
Lee Clasby
Zoe Vaughn
Dina Palaguachi
Abigail Benham
Virginia Alvisi
Kathleen McDonough
Brooke Missina
Aimee Craddock
Lisa Smith
Terrell Parks
Ashley Nazario
Morgan Cherrone
Jordan Hildalgo
Rameen Zehra
Dana Garrison
Chloe Loewenguth
Cameron Eastwood
Sarah Goldberg
Kat McCormick
Ella Gorrell
Marjorie Castilla
Sophie Marin
Jean Tomassini
Shelby Swift
Henna Luke
Keightlen Eaton
Ashley Hoyte
Bob Ponterio
Miles McCabe
Brooke O’leary
Ray Beltran
Marissa Deluca
Firat Ercan
Terrel Parks
Christopher Ramirez
Ariele Vance
Nick Kaires
William Henry Hilburger
X’Avion Irons
Haley Lambert
Yves Auguste