Kresge Gallery hosts juried student art exhibition

By Wil Shane
Lyon College News Bureau

Student artists from Lyon College recently faced a one-man jury at the Kresge Gallery, and he found them all guilty of possessing large amounts of talent and inspiration.

And now, the results of his decision are on public display for all to see.

On Jan. 4, the third annual Juried Student Art Exhibition went on display at the gallery, located within Brown Chapel on the College’s campus, and will remain on display until Jan. 27.

The gallery’s opening reception and award presentation was held Jan. 12.

Memphis artist and gallery owner David Lusk served as the event’s juror. He was charged with the task of selecting the best examples from the students’ artworks to go on display in the exhibition.

The rules of the exhibition allowed each student to enter up to five works for Lusk to examine, and awards will go to first-, second- and third-place finishers, and Lyon President Dr. Walter Roettger will present the second annual Presidential Purchase Award for the “Best of Show” entry.

Lusk said the level of artwork he’s seen in the exhibit surprised and impressed him.

“Driving from Memphis up into the hills of Arkansas toward Lyon College, I had no idea what art I would encounter,” he said. “Immediately upon stepping into the Kresge Gallery, I knew I had not set my expectations high enough that morning.”

Lusk said the gallery’s lighting, layout and installation were all of a high caliber, as were the level of talent in the students and faculty.

“In the studios, what I found met a very high level of professionalism from an academic standpoint,” he said. “And the work I was lucky enough to juror was individually strong and focused in content, very well crafted and intelligent.”

He added that the level of talent he saw in the artwork could stand up to that found in almost any art gallery. “Collectively, the pieces selected would make a compelling exhibition on any walls, but to know that this came from students working here in Arkansas makes the show all that much more intriguing.”