Exhibition Information

After careful deliberation, the guest juror selected three students as winners of the Student Select 2022 exhibition. The First Prize went to a third-year student, Alyssa Cusimano, a BFA/Studio Art major, for her oil painting titled Burned Out. Elliott recognized the piece for an exceptional depiction of mental and physical exhaustion as a commentary on the general psychological state after the Covid-19 for students and the general public alike, as well as a suitable selection of color. The juror commented," The work is an extremely successful technical feat in its figurative accuracy. However, it is more than that. The monochromatic blue treatment gives the work a somber overtone, referencing the most peaceful of sleeps, one that does not end." A fourth-year Math major, Julia Darling, was awarded the Second Prize for her sculptural interpretation of a teapot constructed in stoneware clay, titled Watering. The object was selected for its spatial qualities with architectural details and overall composition. "The second-place winner generates meaning from the formal properties of the vessel, rather than from anything depictive. Its cubist repetition of rectangular forms gives it an energy and strength that transcends its utilitarian value," Elliott added. Finally, a digital collage, Blinded Youth, took the Third Prize. Brianna Cancilla, a graduating student from the Graphic Design program, displayed creativity and poetic portrayal of a complicated subject matter dealing with "...innocence in youth and how they are blinded by the world around them." Elliott additionally commented, "The student used a surrealist photomontage to express a sense of uncertainty in the face of exuberance and promise." The Honorable Mention, selected by the Dowd Gallery director, Jaroslava Prihodova, went to two students for dedication to their artistic practice and producing consistently strong work. Jacob Robinson, a fourth-year BFA student with a dual concentration in Studio Art and New Communication Media, and Angela Tillapaugh, a non-traditional third-year student in the Graphic Design program.

The annual exhibition, historically presented in the Dowd Gallery, offers participants an opportunity to learn about formal presentation while sharing their creations with the campus community in a gallery setting. The three-week exhibition demonstrates that creativity thrives parallels with strong academic achievements. Across campus, students come together from other majors and concentrations to show tangible outcomes not only from art and design-focused classes but also from students' own personal creative activities outside of classrooms. The diverse selection of art produced by art majors, non-traditional students, and non-art majors alike demonstrates that their imagination, acquired skills, and enthusiasm honors the quality and dedication of the faculty at SUNY Cortland and the strength of the student community. The juror adds, "The work that was selected demonstrated successful use of their media to convey a message beyond the literal through a variety of strategies."

Participating students:

Vanessa Leon Basurto, Sherron Brown, Lily Byrne, Emily Camp, Brianna Cancilla, Gabriel Carraher, Nina Carnazza, Alyssa Cusimano, Julia Darling, Katherine De Marinis, Shannon Delaney, Sierra Dell, Natalie Dokic, Emma Fryer, Dana Garrison, Sophia Genao, Deanna Gilman, Sarah Goldberg, Ella Gorrell, Megan Hall, Shannon Hayes, Douglas Keating, Katherine Kressner, Katherine Miller, Tatiana Patrone, Jacob Robinson, Anna Schrauth, Carolyn Stevens, Angela Tillapaugh, Cesilia Tucker, Ariele Vance, and Noah White.