‘TAGGED’ Exhibit Open Through April 15 in The Art Gallery

“It’s an eclectic and impressive show,” said Dr. Barbara Larson, chair of the art department. “There were about three times as many works submitted than are exhibited, so students whose work is on display has really been put through the paces of being juried and judged.”

The Art Gallery director, Nicholas Croghan, said the “TAGGED” show serves a specific purpose.

“It’s really important for students to submit work they create,” Croghan said. “As a professional artist your role isn’t complete until your work is out there for people to experience. Art is a way to visually express a point of view that can potentially create a dialogue.”

About 250 students, faculty and patrons attended the recent opening.

According to the sign describing the show, “TAGGED” showcases “current UWF student work and is hosted to foster creativity, passion in the arts and the pursuit of artistic endeavor.”

“It’s always nice to come to the ‘TAGGED’ show,” said Katherine Cooper, a junior majoring in studio art. “There is a variety of work ranging from traditional to three-dimensional to digital. The entire department gets shown.”

Lyani La Santa, a senior majoring in graphic design, agreed with Cooper.

“It’s a fun show because of the variety of media,” La Santa said. “Everyone’s got a style, and you get to see the best of the best on display. It’s neat to see everyone’s work at one time so that we can all tell what each other has been doing this semester. It really shows what we as students spend hours and hours doing here in the art department.”

Visitors to the show can see photography, portraiture, mixed media, installations, digital work and graphic design to name a few of the media showcased in the exhibit.

“As an art major and a psych minor, I journal daily,” said Abby Ott.

Ott, a senior majoring in studio art, created an artist’s video for the show.

“I think a lot about perception and how other people see us versus how we see ourselves,” Ott said. “My video is a comment on those ideas.”

The name of Ott’s video is “You, Me and We,” and it won the prize for Best in Show.

Another student artist whose work was on display said the “TAGGED” show really challenged him to push the boundaries of his art. Samuel Trevino, a senior majoring in graphic design showed a photograph called “Olivia.” He won an honorable mention award for it.

“I used Photoshop and a projector and a lot of different kinds of lighting in a dark room to get the result I was looking for,” Trevino said. “I was trying to do something really different using a digital camera.”

Here are the names of the winners of the awards that were given at the recent opening reception for “TAGGED.”

Honorable Mention: Jaime Diffee for “Portrait.”

Honorable Mention: Sam Trevino for “Olivia.”

People’s Choice Award: Selena McKane for “Catharsis.”

Third Place: Olga Silva for “This is Not Your _______.”

Second Place: Christian Dinh for “Self-Portait.”

Best in Show: Abigail Ott for “You, Me and We.”

The Graphic Design Awards were as follows.

 Poster Design: Angelina Tumminia for “World’s Fair Postcard Posters.”

Illustration: Olga Silva for “Eu Mudo.”

Motion Graphic: Ilan Berkstein for “Crumbled Transformation.”

Exhibition Graphics and Environmental Design: John Paoletti and Morgan Walker

for “STEAM2017.”

 Joseph Herring Award of Excellence Exhibition Graphics and Environmental Design:

Hilary Holden for “TAGGED.”

Amy Ruddick Award of Excellence Exhibition Graphics and Environmental Design: Morgan Walker and Olivia O’Hern for “Irish Experience.”

The Art Gallery is open from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. The “TAGGED” exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, call 850.474.2696.