Showcasing art, judgement free

From paintings to sculptures, artists are able to convey emotions and feelings through a brush stroke or a splash of color. For Pierce College student artists, many are able to express these feelings, free of judgement and to be recognized for it.

The annual Student Art Show was hosted by a collaboration between the Art and Architecture Departments Thursday, May 9, at the Art Gallery building.

The exhibition showed different styles of art from pencil drawings, oil paintings, watercolor, clay sculptures, to digital and graphic design.

The art exhibition also presented this year’s award winners for their work providing drinks and refreshments for everyone who attended.

Art student Jina Lim won the President’s award for her color pencil drawing named “Unlocked.” The image seemed simple and familiar as it was a hand holding a set of key unlocking a door, but for Lim meant more than that.

“I didn’t want to give them [viewers] my story specifically,” Lim said. “ But [show them something to] relate to it because everyone’s got a door or someplace to go home too. So I feel when we’re going into our house, is just something that we just do, but there’s this calm right as you transition from one thing to the other.’’

The evening was packed with smiles, lights, laughs, and pride from every artist that hung a frame or figure inside the gallery.

Claudio Aguilar mentioned how his painting helped him expressed a certain circumstance in his life and his oil paint of two extended arms names “Upward Despair” gave him that openness to project his feelings indirectly.

“I was frustrated with my grades and where I was going with art,” Aguilar said. “I’m not really good at expressing myself in terms of like painting or art in general. I just draw what I see. So it was a little bit showing what I feel and I like it kind of vague so that people don’t get too comfortable just for personal reasons.”

Olvia Parker is another artist who showed her skills with her oil painting called “ Free Range,” and it was inspired by her love for animal and awareness of the wool shearing process in sheep.

“I wanted to show that they are sensitive feeling animals that you know,” Parker said. “And that, with an industry that’s based upon how much of wool per pound, their wellbeing isn’t really taken into consideration.”

Alber Almanza came from Pasadena Community College to see his friend’s exhibition and thought these types of events are important to commemorate the hard work of students.

“This is a great idea because it gives a lot of students opportunities and also [helps]  their self-confidence,” Almanza said. “They can come here maybe if they want, like, you know, play a part of like the audience and like hearing like maybe the feedback. I think it’s good for experience, especially if you’re gonna keep creating art.”

According to Monika Ramirez, instructor of arts, this event is important because it celebrates the efforts of the students and the department of arts and architecture.

“It’s an opportunity for them [students] to professionally show their work,” Ramirez said. “It’s a juried exhibition, so that helps them to build their resume. So, it’s kind of helping build their professional skills in that regard.”

The art show exhibition will continue until May 23 at the Art Gallery building.