Area High School Students Receive RSU Art Awards

Several area high school art students recently received awards and accompanying scholarships for work they entered in the annual High School Portfolio Art Competition and Exhibition at Rogers State University.

Art by emerging artists from high schools across northeast Oklahoma will be featured in the exhibition through March 22 at Foundations Gallery, located in Baird Hall on the RSU campus in Claremore.

The exhibition includes drawings, paintings, and sculptures by high school seniors and high school students enrolled concurrently at RSU.

Faculty members from the RSU Department of Communication and Fine Arts and a representative from the RSU Student Art Association selected the work included in the exhibition. Tulsa artist Mark Lewis judged the entries admitted to the competition and selected the award recipients, who will receive scholarships to attend RSU in the fall.

The award recipients were announced at an opening reception for the exhibition on March 1 in the gallery.

Receiving awards for Outstanding Individual Pieces were Lauren Ottinger, Claremore High School, “The Many Faces of Me,” acrylic; Alexandra Peters, Adair High School, “Fruit and Jar,” pastel, and “My Sister,” scratch art; Brian Lunk, Adair High School, “Bic and Orbit,” charcoal; Trevor Lemaster, Inola High School, untitled collage; and Chance Schmoll, Vinita High School, “Pharaoh,” ink.

Receiving Outstanding Portfolio Awards were John Faulconer, Adair High School, photography; Cody Cook, Vinita High School, digital media; Brian Lunk, Adair High School, ink; Chere Million, Claremore High School, various media; and Rachel Adkins, Claremore High School, various media.

RSU gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The exhibition is free and open to the public. For more information on the exhibition or RSU art programs, call (918) 343-7740.