One of the highlights for the Delta College community at the end of each school year is the Annual Student Art Exhibition and Awards. While the Fine Arts Building Galleria (located in S-wing) showcases outstanding student work throughout the year, the Annual Exhibit is the one time the Delta College Art + Design faculty bring the show into the community. Past shows have been held in Bay City and Saginaw, but the pandemic struck, and the Midland venue had to be postponed. Rising to the challenge, faculty devised an alternative method for sharing selected student painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, design, graphic design, and photography.
The Delta College Associate in Fine Arts Virtual Student Exhibition 2021 is a sixteen-minute full-color, high resolution video displaying of student work from the past two years. The works were selected by Art Instructor Tamar Aldrich, Art Instructor Sanford Buchalter, Associate Professor of Art Ben Clore, Professor of Art Randal Crawford, Art Instructor Amy Gibas, Associate Professor of Art Michael Glowacki, and Associate Professor of Art Andrew Rieder.
Pictured: Best of Best in Show Winner “Perspective” by Jocelyn Gonzales, ART 111 Drawing II, Instructor Randal Crawford.
The Student Exhibit is important,” Michael Glowacki says, “to emphasize the value of showing your work as an artist. Showing work to the public furthers the support of the arts in our local communities while also preparing students for the process of applying to art exhibitions, the reality of sometimes not having your work selected, and furthering confidence in their craft.”
“Normally,” Michael adds, “one of the many benefits of an off-campus student exhibit is that we are able to showcase the hard work of our students while supporting a local arts venue in one of the tri-cities. With a virtual exhibit, the major benefit to give our students a well-deserved pat on the back while showcasing that the arts are not going anywhere even amid a pandemic.
“Students interested in pursuing a career in the arts are not only creative in the field but can be in life as well. It has been amazing to see how art students adapt to continuing their craft remotely. Some students had struggled at times including myself as an instructor, but, given the circumstances, a majority have had the attitude of ‘we are all in this together,’ and we figured out a way to successfully work remotely this past year. There has been equally impressive work created this past year in comparison to previous years before the pandemic. As an instructor, I will say it has been surprising how connections with students are still made, but I do look forward to meeting these students in person more regularly in the future.”
The Annual Student Art Exhibit will continue, hopefully in person for 2022, though Michael says they will also document and share the exhibit virtually as they have done this year. While the pandemic may have forced the faculty to create alternative methods, many of these have proved viable options or enhancements in our new normal.
Delta College Faculty Association 