During the month of April, eleven Paducah School of Art and Design students received recognition for their artwork on both a local and international level.Elliott Schiff of Paducah and Rhonda Henson of Benton were recently selected as finalists in the 34th Annual College and High School Photography Contest, an international competition featuring student photographers from around the world and totaling 16,600 photographs.
The contest, co-sponsored by Serbin Communications and Nikon, USA, selected Schiff and Henson among 100 finalists in the college student category, and their work will appear in the hard cover publication Best of College and High School Photography 2014, published by Serbin Communications. Henson also received an Honorable Mention in the college category for her "Sibling Love," a black and white image of two young family members enjoying a special moment.
On April 3, ten PSAD students, including Schiff, received recognition for their artwork at the 2014 Student Art Exhibition held at West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC). The artwork included 2-D design, ceramics, drawing, painting, digital photography, sculpture, visual communications, and jewelry and metals.
"The success of an art and design school is a direct result of the success of its students and their artwork, which then is a reflection of the school's faculty and staff," said Paul Aho, PSAD dean. "All of the work of our students is of high merit and deserves to be recognized; we are so proud of them."
During the opening reception in the WKCTC Clemens Fine Arts Gallery, $800 in merit and purchase awards was presented to the winners, including Paducah resident Shanden Simmons who won the WKCTC President's Choice Award.
"I didn't expect this at all. I have never sold an original piece before and been a part of someone else's collection; I'm just very humbled about the whole thing," said Simmons. "My family and PSAD faculty and staff have believed in me and supported my work, and I wouldn't have been able to do it without them." Simmons received $300 for his winning piece.
Shanden's "Idealism," which also won Best in Show in the drawing category, will join the permanent collection for the WKCTC campus.
Seven students also received awards for Best in Show and a $50 prize in the following categories: Elliott Schiff won for "Untitled #3" in the ceramics category. Paducah resident Olivia Patterson, "Moonlit Flight" (painting); Chris Salazar of Metropolis, IL, "Incessant" (2D design); Paducah residents Evita Lynne, "Of the Earth" (sculpture) and Phyllis Russell, "Buddhist Monk" (digital photography); Lisa Lindsay-Young of Boaz, "Watched Pot" (jewelry and metals) and Steve Dennee of Paducah, "Boardwalk Empire" (visual communications).
The following students won a Merit Award and a $50 prize for the following categories: Paducah resident Juanita Neal Gilliam, "Durer Rhino and Child" (ceramics) and Gilbertsville resident Helen Byrd, "Bird Ring" (jewelry and metals).
The judge for this year's exhibition was Dr. Zbynek Smetana, chair Murray State University's art and design department.
PSAD student artwork can be seen in the Clemens Gallery until April 25. Gallery hours are Monday-Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and Friday by appointment.
PSAD, a division of West Kentucky Community and Technical College, offers an Associate in Fine Arts degree, as well as studio art classes for students of all levels and disciplines. Classes are offered on WKCTC's campus; at 409 Broadway, in downtown Paducah; and at Madison Hall in Lowertown.
For more information about PSAD offerings, contact Paul Aho at (270) 408-4278 or paul.aho@kctcs.edu.
Photo left: PSAD students Helen Byrd of Gilbertsville and Phyllis Russell, Shanden Simmons, Elliott Schiff, and Evita Lynne, all of Paducah, were presented with awards during the 2014 Student Art Exhibition at WKCTC on April 3. (Not pictured: Juanita Neal Gilliam, Chris Salazar, Lisa Lindsay-Young, Olivia Patterson, and Steve Dennee).