Student artists at Florida A&M are showcasing their talents at the Foster Tanner Fine Arts Gallery since it opened Friday. Support came from far and wide for these young talents.
Some were pleased, like Jessica Florence, a first-year industrial engineering student from Baltimore, Md. “I’m really amazed,” she said, describing the art as “original, detailed and vibrant.” She really liked the work that won the first place prize in the competition.
The piece was called The Elements of a Woman: Strength, which was painted on a plexi-glass canvas using acrylics by visual arts student Amber Hiler. After viewing the art, Florence was inspired and wanted to know if she could take classes to eventually become an artist.
“It’s nice to see what the classes that come after me are capable of,” said Edmund Royster, a graduate of the visual arts program.
“It’s definitely a different feeling, since I’m used to being here with one of my pieces, as part of the show.” Royster is also used to knowing the names, faces and art styles of the students who participate. “This time,” he said he can have “a genuine surprise” of what he’ll see.
“I think it’s a great event to have people come and stare in awe at your work, get positive or negative criticism and use it to grow,” said Jessica Royster, graduate of North Carolina A&T State’s nursing program from Detroit. She is the wife of visual artist Edmund Royster.
“I came because I do have an appreciation for the arts. I like seeing people’s different styles and where they come from,” said Royster.
The Student Art Exhibition/Competition happens every spring semester, explained Aja Roache, Gallery Coordinator. Students display their art on the first and second floor of the gallery, with the top floor dedicated to the competition and the bottom as simply exhibition.
Nefetari Dennard, junior graphic design student from Tallahassee, Fla., was left out of the competition last year after submitting five pieces. This year, all three of her pieces got into the show and her piece entitled “Brown Sugar” won third place in the competition.
To Dennard, third place isn’t enough. She has plans to shock everyone in the art competition next year. “I’m going to have something here that no one’s probably thought about before. In fact, I’m more than sure of it,” she said.
The exhibition will be open to the public until Feb. 3. The Foster Tanner Fine Arts Gallery will host The Faculty Show starting Feb. 17, which will be an exhibition that displays works by the faculty of FAMU’s Visual Arts program.
For more information about the Foster Tanner Fine Arts Gallery visit www.famuart.com or contact Aja Roache at (850) 599-8755; email famugallery@live.com.