The Community Art Gallery at the Stark Museum of Art is bursting with color this spring with its newest exhibition, “Any Way You Slice It: 2023 Juried Student Art Exhibition,” on view through May 13.
Public, private and homeschool students grades 4-12 in Region 5, Texas, and Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, were invited to submit original works of art emphasizing the color orange for this year’s exhibition.
The museum received a record-breaking 812 entries from 29 campuses in the region. Three jurors from the Stark Museum of Art reviewed entries, and the top 100 entries were selected for inclusion in the exhibition.
“This year, we received an unprecedented amount of entries. The caliber of artwork submitted by our student artists in Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana is just phenomenal,” said Jennifer Dickinson, director of education at the Stark Museum of Art.
This year’s ninth annual exhibition features student artists enrolled at: Beaumont United High School, Bridge City High School, Bridge City Intermediate School, Buna Junior High School, Christian Academy of Fine Arts, Grace Homeschool Cooperative, Groves Middle School, Guess Elementary School, Hardin-Jefferson High School, Little Cypress Junior High School, Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School, Maplewood Elementary School, Mauriceville Elementary School, Memorial High School, Nederland High School, Odom Academy, Orangefield High School, Penn Foster Homeschool, Port Neches-Groves High School, Sam Houston High School, Silsbee High School, Vidor High School, Vidor Middle School and Vincent Middle School.
A highlight of the exhibition each year is the annual Juried Art Reception and Awards. This year’s event will be held on Wednesday, April 5, from 5-8 p.m. All featured student artists are invited, along with family and friends, for a special evening at the museum. The event includes light refreshments and ribbon presentations for each student artist. An awards ceremony will also be held for this year’s Signature Image Award, Merit Award and Director’s Choice Award winners at 6:30 p.m.
This year’s award winners are: Catalina Canales, Bridge City Intermediate School, fourth grade, Signature Image Award; Landyn Born, Bridge City Intermediate School, fifth grade, Director’s Choice Award; Alyssa Puente, Bridge City Intermediate School, fifth grade, Merit Award; Casey Elzey, Maplewood Elementary School, fifth grade, Director’s Choice Award; Caroline Jackson, Groves Middle School, seventh grade, Director’s Choice Award; Lucy Payne, Groves Middle School, eighth grade, Director’s Choice Award; Sophie Hartman, Vincent Middle School, eighth grade, Merit Award; Julia Bourgeois, Vidor High School, 11th grade, Director’s Choice Award; Nathan Martin, Beaumont United High School, 12th grade, Director’s Choice Award; Emily Grace Elliott, Sam Houston High School, 12th grade, Merit Award.
The Stark Museum of Art is open Wednesday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free of charge thanks to the generous underwriting of the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation.
For more information, visit starkmuseum.org. The Stark Museum of Art is located at 712 Green Ave. in Orange.
While taking in a little slice of Orange, the community is also invited to see the blooms, brilliance and beauty of The W.H. Stark House for their Spring Open House on Saturday, April 1, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the City of Orange’s Art in the Park event located in Stark Park.
“Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the first and second floors of the home during this art themed day,” The W.H. Stark House Director of Education Hannah Danielson said. “We will also have a community rock art painting project in the Carriage House. The decorated rocks will be displayed throughout the flower beds on our beautiful grounds during summer programs.”
The W.H. Stark House was built from 1893 to 1895.
Timed tickets are available upon arrival and may not be booked in advance. All ages are welcome, but groups with children in arms or limited mobility will have access to the first floor only. Please note, The W.H. Stark House is not wheelchair or stroller accessible and requires climbing steps to enter.
For more information about The W.H. Stark House or Spring Open House, visit whstarkhouse.org. The W.H. Stark House is located at 610 Main Ave. in Orange. Admission is free of charge.