CSU’s 49^th Annual Student Art Show and Merit Scholar Exhibit Runs through June 5

In-person, public exhibit features artwork of current and former CSU students

Home page artwork photo: CSU Student Artist: Jane Underhill for 'Attic.' Spademan Best in Show Award, 1^st Place.
Photographer: Brian Hart

CLEVELAND (May 12, 2021) - The 49^th Annual Cleveland State University juried Student Art Show and Merit Scholar Exhibit and will run through June 5. The exhibit, located at The Galleries at CSU, 1307 Euclid Avenue, is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m., closed on Sundays and Mondays. Covid protocols under local, state, and federal guidelines will be followed, including temperature taking, mask-wearing and social distancing.

The South and Center Galleries will showcase works created by CSU students; the North Gallery will showcase works created by recipients of the Department of Art and Design Merit Scholarship.

For nearly five decades, the CSU Student Art Show has presented visual works by CSU students that reflect individual and societal expressions, spanning the landscape of human experience. For many students, this is their first venture into the professional world of art.

“Annual juried student art shows are an important standard for academic art galleries. Students get real-life experiences and a firsthand look into the professional art world,” said Kendall Christian, director of The Galleries at CSU. “For many, this is the first time their work is critiqued by outside judges who are not their professors or fellow students.”

All CSU students were eligible to submit up to four works, including former CSU students who missed the 2020 Student Art Show due to the pandemic.

Student Art Show Award Winners and Honorable Mentions
View photos of the winning artwork.

• Best in Video/Animation, $100: Katie Shutsa for It’s Different for Girls
  Honorable Mention, $75: Davis Chu for Ballad of Snow
   
• Best in Sculpture, $100:  Kanna Blade for Empowered Suicide
  Honorable Mention, $75: Annie Merriman for Judging (Old White Men)
   
• Best in Photography, $100: Samantha Vilaythong for Bare Body Me
  Honorable Mention, $75–Monesha Townsend for Four untitled works
   
• Best in Printmaking, $100: Heather Patterson for Everything Ends Where?
   
• Best in Painting, $100: Megan Meringue for The Yawn
   
• Best in Drawing, $100: Liv Hearn for Collage I
   
• Best in Merit, $100: Kennedy Preston for her Merit Scholar Exhibit
   
• Spademan Best in Show Award, 1^st Place, $500: Jane Underhill for Attic
   
• Alumni Donor Award, 2^nd Place, $300: Emily Funari for Limenal Jazz
   
• Gallery Award, 3^rd Place, $200: Camryn Page for Don’t Be Scared 

Christian noted the connection of the arts with strong communities: “Both CSU and the Cleveland community are havens where art is welcome, celebrated and infused into many layers of our life. We have amazingly talented student artists and faculty at CSU, and a talented, diverse community of artists whose work is vital to the overall wellbeing and growth of our community.”

The CSU Student Art Show and Merit Scholar Exhibit is sponsored by CSU’s Student Organization of Fine Arts CSU Studio Art Department, and the Galleries at CSU.  ​​​​​​​