Juried student art exhibition opening reception at AU is March 3

March 01, 2022 ASHLAND, Ohio – Ashland University’s annual Juried Student Art + Design Exhibition opens on Thursday, March 3, with a reception from 4:30-6:30 p.m., at the Coburn Gallery, located in the Center for the Arts. The exhibition runs through Wednesday, March 23. Gallery admission is free and open to the public.

This exhibition represents a culmination of student work from university art classes during the academic year. It is an opportunity for art students to take their best artwork from the year, learn how to professionally present it for display and then receive feedback from an outside art professional.

About $1,000 in awards will be distributed to student artists, including for Best in Show, Honorable Mentions, Bernini Award, Dean’s Award, Wink Alumni Award, AU Permanent Collection Award and the People’s Choice Award. The awards will be announced during the opening reception, with the exception of the People’s Choice Award, which will be announced on the Coburn Gallery’s Facebook page on March 23.

Generous donations from Wendy and Scott Schaller, Dan McDonald, AU Permanent Art Collection and other private donors have allowed AU to offer these awards.

The outside juror for the exhibition is Heidi Weller. She grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and studied classical Greek and Latin in college, but by the time she entered graduate school her interests had changed to art, specifically photography. Weller worked as an industrial and commercial photographer, and has exhibited works at the national and regional level. She is an active member of the Ashland arts community.

“The exhibition is an excellent opportunity to support the arts by purchasing a student artwork, whether you are just starting to collect art or adding to a collection,” said Cynthia Petry, director of the Coburn Gallery.

The Coburn Gallery is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and noon-4 p.m. on weekends. For more information about the exhibition, call 419-289-5652 or visit the gallery’s Facebook page.

Ashland University is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.