The smell of lumpia and stir fry wafted through the air of the 1000 building during the Fullerton College annual Spring Student Art Exhibition on May 7, and it felt like walking into a concert at a local venue. Dozens of people stood elbow to elbow through the hallway from the entry of the building to the entry of the gallery.
Before walking into that packed display room, students were adding their backpacks to a collection being kept at the door. According to Art Professor Jazmin McNeal, this is a practice in most art galleries.
“We put backpacks in the front of the galleries so we don’t jeopardize the artwork being damaged,” McNeal said. “If someone has a backpack that’s rather large and there’s artwork on display, and someone bumps up against the artwork, that leaves a potential for the artwork to be damaged. It’s just a safety precaution.”
McNeal said that the exhibition gives art students a real-life art gallery experience. Featured work had to have been completed in class within the last year. The work on display was chosen by a jury of the Art Department professors, some with price tags. If the artists chose to put their piece on display, they were able to do so at their own discretion.
There was an array of art displayed on the walls that ranged from illustration to ceramics, and covered topics like death to drug abuse and rehabilitation.
“Dante’s Journey,” a wood and acrylic piece by Henry Johnson, was like a combination of a board game and a fidget toy. It was a wooden octagon with a circular bullseye pattern drawn on the top with a wooden dice in the center. The sides had small drawer-like compartments that people would interact with by sliding them open and closed.
Lauren Blanco created a charcoal drawing called “Skull.” It displayed a skull with a butterfly perched on the top of its head, while it was all balanced on a cube that cast a shadow in the background.
Aaron Brass, a third-year student who is working on his Associate of Arts with a focus on Illustration, had three of his artworks on display– one of which he titled “Relapse.”
It was presented in comic book-style blocks with black ink on Bristol. Bristol paper is a heavyweight, smooth surface paper often used for pen and ink illustrations, comics, and graphic novels.
The story strip showed a man in his transformation into a wolf. According to Brass, the piece reflects the experience of what it is like to be an addict, using lycanthropy as a metaphor for addiction.
“Relapse was inspired by personal experience,” said Brass. “Someone very close to me has been a victim of addiction for a long time, and I suppose this project is something of a dedication to them and what they experience every day.”
It won second place in illustration, while Brass’ other pieces, “The 3D walk cycle,” won first in animation and Motion Design as well as 3D/CGI.
Special awards like the Dean’s and the President’s were chosen by Fullerton College President Cynthia Olivo and Dean of Fine Arts Grant Lissell with the intention of being hung up in their offices.
The John Parker Art Department Scholarship is awarded every year through the Student Art Exhibition to the best in show. It was founded by FC’s former professor, John E. Parker, to be awarded to continuing students majoring in Art. Even since his passing, the scholarship has continued. Parker’s wife, Gail Parker, was there to award it to Alyssa Oh for her untitled piece in Intermediate Printmaking.
During the showing, those attending were directed to room 412 for the awards ceremony. First, second and third prizes were awarded based on categories.
President’s Award: Andrea Woon- Multimedia self-portrait
Dean’s Award: Mobius Scholkowfsky- Eternal Footman Serigraphy
Best in Show: Alex Oh (ㄱㅇㅁㅈ) Untitled
Ceramics
1st place: Keira Smith- Cookie Jar
2nd place: Bonna-Michele Birch Morning Mist Garden
3rd place: Dawn Simon Perceived Fragility
Illustration
1st place: Toshi Tu Oak Winged Lizzard
2nd place: Aaron Brass Relapse Illustration
3rd place: Zoie Houk Living in the Moment
Digital
1st place Jonathan Rickard Lorrendo’s Bastion
2nd place Diego Alvers Morrigan
3rd place Will Russell West Side Sakuga
2D Design
1st place: Agostino Vaccaro- Elvis Christ
2nd place Rosanna Herrera- A Nervous System
3rd place Tony Lazo- Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop
Printmaking
1st place: Mobius Scholkowfsky- Eternal Footman
2nd place: Xitlali Alexandria Jimenez Morales- Cabeza In Los Estrellas: Solita y Feliz at 3AM
3rd place Micah Deitrick- CHAOS
Painting
1st place Sergio Gonzalez For the Dust Mice: Thanks for Everything!
2nd place Aisling Shang (pron. Ashling) The Weight of Silk Intermediate Painting – ART 201
3rd place Sophia Holbrook- Self portrait
Drawing
1st place: Aisling Shang (pron. Ashling)- Echos of Time
2nd place: Mindy Lee- Cardboard Box
3rd place: Jingbo Sun- Glasses Girl
Graphic Design
1st place: Jeremy Yee- New year, new dragon
Sculpture
1st place: Janey McIntire- Affordable Housing
2nd place: Athena Christiano- Object of objectification
3rd place: Ever Avila- Starlight
Art History
1st place: Morgann Tynes- Sacrifice
2nd place: Yanning (Nina) Li- Yanning (Nina) Li
3D Printing & Fabrication
1st place: Roman Giacchetto- Apprentice Mechanic
2nd place: Tony Lazo Tony- Lazo
3rd place: Raymond Nelson- Jason
Animation & Motion Design
1st place: Aaron Brass- Bony Walk Cycle
2nd place: Raymond Nelson- Black sword
3D/CGI
1st place: Roman Giacchetto- Apprentice Mechanic
2nd place: Raymond Nelson- Black sword
3rd place: Aaron Brass- Bony Walk Cycle
Jewelry
1st place: Dawn Simon- Domestic Protocol
2nd place: Denise Ruiz- Ring with Flowers
3rd place: Ricky Krieger- Unknown
Specialty Awards
Excellence in Character Design: Kennedi Stoner-Style Variations- Character design
Design: Ryan Taylor- Midnight Ritual- Basic Drawing
Excellence in Prop Design: Kailey McCune- Gnomes Prop Design
Cultural Lens Award in Editorial Illustration: Zoie Houk- Living in the Moment- Illustration