DANBURY, Connecticut — Western Connecticut State University will present an Opening Reception and Award Ceremony for its inaugural Student Art Showcase from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, in The Gallery at the Visual and Performing Arts Center on the university’s Westside campus, 43 Lake Ave. Extension in Danbury. The Showcase will feature works created by student artists who attend secondary education institutions in Connecticut. The Opening Reception and Award Ceremony are free and open to the public. Please RSVP at www.eventbrite.com/e/wcsu-2024-student-art-showcase-reception-awards-ceremony-tickets-893829346637.
The students’ submitted work has been divided into four categories: Painting, Drawing/Illustration, Photography and 3-D Small Works. At the May 18 event, 15 winners will be announced: first, second and third place in each of the four categories; and first, second and third place overall. Category winners will receive gift cards, sponsored by Jerry’s Artarama of Norwalk. The three overall winners will receive cash scholarships (contingent upon acceptance and full-time enrollment into WCSU’s Bachelor of Arts in Visual Art program; conditions apply).
Seventy-seven works from 56 high school-age students were selected for inclusion in the competition and exhibition, which will be on view from Saturday, May 18, through Friday, June 7. Gallery Hours are Tuesday to Friday, noon to 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. at The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center, 43 Lake Ave. Extension in Danbury.
The purpose of the event, according to Brian Vernon, dean of WCSU’s School of Visual and Performing Arts, is to establish a more profound connection with high schools in the region and highlight the importance of Arts Education across all levels. To achieve this goal, he reached out to Lisa Scails, director of the Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut, to collaborate with the Department of Art to organize this inaugural event. “We want to celebrate the students’ creations to encourage the development of these young artists as they prepare to investigate the arts in a college setting,” Vernon said.
The students whose art was selected for the competition and exhibition are:
Arianna Alagna – Homeschool, Bridgewater
Ellie Arcario – Newtown High School
Nina Archiere – Danbury High School
Sarah Cartagena – Newtown High School
Matheus Casareggio – Danbury High School
Schmarlee Charles – Danbury High School
Miriam Da Costa – Danbury High School
Prince Davenport – Highville Charter School, New Haven
Madelyn DeGennaro – Bethel High School
Ethan Denning – Danbury High School
Alexandra DiLorenzo – Newtown High School
Mary Dunn – Wethersfield High School
Nicole Etchie – Westover School, Middlebury
Natalia Gonzales – Ansonia High School
Jill Guilfoyle – St. Joseph High School, Trumbull
Amanda Gujski – St. Joseph High School, Trumbull
Fayrose Hussain – St. Joseph High School, Trumbull
Lucy Jackson – Education Without Walls, New Milford
Emily Kokoszka – Enfield High School
Julia Lacasse – St. Joseph High School, Trumbull
Ava Larsen – Newtown High School
Lisa Liu – St. Joseph High School, Trumbull
Daira Lopez – Danbury High School
Emily Lu – William H. Hall High School, West Hartford
Nora Magel – Wethersfield High School
Puma Marx – Newtown High School
Alexis Mastrangelo – Enfield High School
Amber Mattioli – Ace (Alternative Center for Excellence), Danbury
Sydney Melluzzo – Wethersfield High School
Bailey Munroe-Ritter – Education Without Walls, New Milford
Zoey Orellana – Ansonia High School
Jamie Xavier Ortiz – Wethersfield High School
Madeline Paine – Wethersfield High School
Lucas Parham – Danbury High School
Carolena Parker – Wethersfield High School
Anushka Patel – Education Without Walls, New Milford
Grey Pomeroy – Shepaug Valley High School, Washington
Abby Poreda – Enfield High School
Amaia Potashner – William H. Hall High School, West Hartford
Nathaly Quinde – Danbury High School
Samuel Ramirez – Danbury High School
Tatiana Rivera – St. Joseph High School, Trumbull
Mariah Rodriguez – Wethersfield High School
Bianca Sanchez – St. Joseph High School, Trumbull
Kayla Smith – Wethersfield High School
Marianna Sousa – Danbury High School
Logan Steisel – Danbury High School
Selena Stevens – Danbury High School
River Trotter – Ridgefield High School
Niki Tsilfides – St. Joseph High School, Trumbull
Ashley Velsmid – St. Joseph High School, Trumbull
Emma Vincent – Westover School, Middlebury
Kayla Ward – Wethersfield High School
Gabriel Zagaja – Wethersfield High School
Emzie Zalaznick – Bethel High School
Ken Scaglia, chairman of WCSU’s Department of Art, added, “The inaugural event hosted by WCSU in partnership with the Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut, seeks to provide a forum for young artists to be included in a gallery exhibition to inspire continued and renewed efforts for creation of art. The arts cannot be overstated for their benefit to each generation of creatives who seek expression and engagement with a proven crucial communicating exercise that sparks numerous healthy community and professional connections,” he said.
“WCSU welcomes these artists who aspire to creative heights,” Scaglia continued. “A gallery exhibition can be a transformative event for artists. Their work is carefully presented to a wide audience, giving the artist an evaluation and appreciation of their efforts. The shared experience among artists is a powerful method to encourage greater participation and dialogue for those interested in entering the arts.”
For more information, contact the Department of Art at (203) 837-8403 or WCSU Communications and Marketing at pr@wcsu.edu.