Lone Star College-CyFair student artists are not only creating an acclaimed portfolio with award-winning pieces featured in the Bosque Gallery, but some will be a part of the college’s history with their work displayed around campus thanks to the Art Procurement Committee.

Each academic year, the committee chooses a variety of multi-media works from the fall and spring end-of-the-semester student art showcases for a collective maximum value of $1,000, said James Campbell, art professor and committee chair.

“This unique opportunity to support student talent provides a qualitative resume entry to identify that the excellence of the artist is acknowledged in the permanent collection of the college,” said Campbell.

And earlier this year, a student artist’s sculpture titled “Waves of Lives” was unveiled in a memorial tribute to LSC-CyFair Professor Roscoe Johnson. Created by one of LSC-CyFair’s previous Best of Show and multiple award winner Vicky Suarez, this sculpture is now displayed in the Center for Academic and Student Engagement (CASE.)

“Vicky is an outstanding student citizen, motivated by an indefatigable passion to create and a humble sense of wonder about her talent, generous in her encouragement of the musings and struggles of her fellow student artists,” Campbell said.

With a goal to one day own an art studio, Suarez said her tribute piece was inspired by the relationship between human life and the ocean, which is critical to life on this planet, but just being by it can bring peace and joy.

“Ocean waves come and go like everything in life, like life itself. Using wire gives the illusion of movement that I love in my pieces, like if the piece wants to dance in joy,” said Suarez. “As I said during Professor Roscoe's tribute, I hope that people will feel peace and joy since Professor Johnson brought joy to all those who knew him.”

In this spring’s 2022 Student Art Showcase, the Best in Show winner Alexandre Evans was hoping to connect with viewers of his ceramic piece titled “Sleepy Tired.”

“My inspiration to create this piece was based on pushing the exaggeration of what it felt to be truly, beyond-functional, all-nighter-pulling tired – how heavy your eyes feel, how hard it is to keep focus (and/or keep a straight face in general), how it feels like your face is practically melting off from exhaustion and so on,” said Evans. “I wanted to channel those exaggerations into something visual that viewers can immediately recognize and possibly even directly relate to.”

Evans, who is fairly new to ceramics, added that this showcase and award was a newfound experience and honor which has boosted his confidence to keep pushing himself further in ceramics and art in general.

In addition to ceramics, this spring exhibition features a multi-media representation of drawings, two-dimensional and three-dimensional design works, advanced studio, photography, painting and new this year color theory.

The first- through third-place award winners, respectively, were: 

• drawing: Tom Pham, Jude Macleod, Claire-Garza Gonzalez
• 2d design: Patricia Harrison, Rania Dickens, Abril Davila Figueroa
• 3d design: Britain McKeithan, Mackenzie Brunnenmeyer, Maya Nunez
• advanced studio: Tony Flores, Sheila Begnaud, Casey Kiley
• ceramics: Britain McKeithan, Daniel Calderon, Ashley Krause
• photography: Fatima Ghazi, Sofia Quintanilla, Juan Carlos Garcia
• painting:  Brittany Deleon and Litzy Hernandez
• and color theory: Kaylen Reeder, Fatima Ghazi, and Vy Nguyen

Honorable mentions in advanced studio were Tierra Skye and Danie Flores, in 2d design was Malik Scott and in color theory was Weizhuo Chen.

Art lovers can stop by the Bosque Gallery to view the creativity of all the student artists in person through May 5 or on Instagram@BosqueGallery through May 10. For those interested in purchasing student artwork, email heather.braman@LoneStar.edu.

Gallery hours and information on the upcoming Art Faculty Show set June 9-July 7 is available at LoneStar.edu/ BosqueGallery. For information on LSC-CyFair’s art program and scholarship opportunities, go to LoneStar.edu/art-dept-cyfair or call 281.290.5273.

LSC-CyFair is also currently registering for summer sessions, including a watercolor and your choice of subject matter class with Natalie Stovall, and fall semester classes at LoneStar.edu/registration.