AICUO Award for Excellence in the Visual Arts

2012 Site is Live!

2012-03-07T08:55:00.001-08:00

Our 2012 AICUO Art Awards website is LIVE now! First round judging has been completed and now second round judging is almost complete. We have had great first round and second round judges this year. Check out our judges page to see who they were this year.

Check out our site here! And be sure to vote for People's Choice!

Current Judge in 200Columbus

2012-02-03T07:39:00.000-08:00

Tim Friar, a first round judge was featured in 200Columbus: The Official Bicentennial Guide. He is the owner of Grid Furnishings, a furniture store in the Short North, Columbus, Ohio. Thanks to Friar, Grid Furnishings was where we had one our finalists show her work last spring during our Walking Art Exhibition. Friar has a background and education in Industrial Design from one of our member institutions, CCAD. He decided to open Grid Furnishings because Columbus just didn’t have any good shopping for modern furniture. To read more about Tim Friar and Grid Furnishings in the media, check out their website and blog.

Photo thanks to Home On High (homeonhigh.co)

CCAD President Art Installation

2011-12-20T07:35:00.000-08:00

As a student of CCAD, I was of course walking around campus not sure what was going on on the quad. I saw fencing making up wavy shapes. The next day it was even bigger. While grabbing a coffee before a final, I asked the person working our coffee place what was on the quad. She proceeded to tell me it was one of Denny's sculptures. Denny Griffith is CCAD's president and decided to create a sculpture on our quad that would bode well with the surrounding environment and architecture. Before reading this blog post written for the CCAD Blog, I was wondering how cool it would look covered in snow, if it was even going to be up that long. When I ran into the article about the sculpture I was happy to find out that it will be on our campus until spring. If your around Columbus, you should drive by, or stop and look. It's pretty cool! (I'll be sure to post pictures after it's covered in snow!)

Photo from CCAD Blog. Make sure you check it out! Link above!

Past Judges Busy as Ever

2011-12-05T07:04:00.000-08:00

This past week, two of our past judges had opening exhibitions.

Thursday night (December 1, 2011) I attended the opening of the Annual Thumb Box Exhibition at the Ohio Art League at the South Campus Gateway, where a past judge, Adam Brouillette had three little pieces. This exhibition has the name Thumb Box for a reason. All pieces, both 2D and 3D may not exceed the size of 6”x6”x6”. The show was really great, seeing pieces so small from artists that usually make larger works was different and nice to see. (One of our judges for 2012, Andrew Ina, had pieces in the show as well!) Having the pieces smaller made them more affordable to buy for gifts for the upcoming holidays. This exhibition is up until December 31, 2011. Please go check it out! Maybe you’ll find the perfect painting for your sister or best friend…or even you! Also try and guess which piece was my favorite. (I’ll give you a hint…you’ll probably guess right, I had so many favorites!)

Sunday was the opening of Illuminating Art in German Village at Gallery 831. Every year the residents of German Village take pride in the lighting of the neighborhood. Going strong for a third year, Illuminating Art opened on the same day as the lighting event (hence the name). This show is put on by the German Village Art League, whose president is Ryan Orewiler, also a past judge. This exhibition is up until December 31, 2011 as well. I didn’t get to go to the opening, but I will be checking it out this week sometime!

Check out this great article by Melissa Starker about Illuminating Art.

Advertisement from gvartleague.com

Meeting with Wynter Whiteside

2011-10-27T13:36:00.000-07:00

Just recently I had the opportunity to meet with one of our 2012 second round judges, Wynter Whiteside. Talking with Wynter felt like I was catching up with an old friend. She is really personable, passionate, fun, and really excited to be involved with the AICUO Excellence in the Visual Arts Awards.

Wynter is from central Ohio, attended Fort Hayes Arts and Academic High School in Columbus, Ohio and is an alumnus from the Columbus College of Art & Design. She told me that while she was at CCAD, she spent a semester studying abroad in Ireland. She described her experience to be wonderful and beautiful and gave me the advice to bite at any opportunity I have to study abroad. So, readers, I pass that along to you as well. “Rolling hills…countryside…castles…” the imagery she was talking about sounded unreal. Any artist would be silly to not be inspired by being in such an environment.

Wynter was a fine art major. She is a painter and embroiderer who also happens to love curating. I asked how, after 8 years of being a curator, she would describe it. She said, “it’s more about producing a visual idea, an organic project, and seeing things come together”. The curated shows are “a process of thought”, she explained, “they are like a piece of artwork within itself”. She loves the instillation and “constellation of ideas” that are all brought together in one place. Just from sitting across from her and talking I could just tell how much she loves curating. “[Curating] is very fulfilling to me” she went on to say. I truly believe her.

I asked her what I thought would be a hard question to answer, “what has been your favorite show that you have curated?” Without missing a beat, her face lit up with a huge smile and she answered “Sugarcraft”. Sugarcraft was a show in 2008 hosted by Kasia Kay Art Projects in Chicago, IL. She showed me pictures and it was everything I had ever wanted to see in a gallery. I really love girly, fun, cute, silly artwork and this was exactly it. The show was filled with cute artworks from around the world. Sugary subject matter included cupcakes, cakes, and candies. It was her favorite show because it had artists from all around the globe, the gallery space was great, the woman she worked with was amazing, and she networked a ton. She told me all of the artwork was sent to her house, here in Columbus, so she had to rent a U-Haul and drive all the work to Chicago. Can you imagine?

I remember when I was in high school I saw one of her shows at the Mahan Gallery (which isn’t open anymore) in the Short North in Columbus. I was blown away. I was even more blown away that there were real tiny cupcakes sitting on little shelves as part of her artwork. From then on I have always remembered her work and was really grateful she accepted the opportunity to be one of our judges.

I asked if she was currently making work, and music to my ears the answer was “yes, for the past 4 years”. She said there is even more embroidery and the paintings are very large. I cannot wait to see them!

Along with Sugarcraft she said another one of her favorite shows she curated was “Genuine Bunny Lovers” which had bunnies in a pin in the middle of the gallery and bunny artwork on all the walls. We started talking about bunnies, my scary bunny run-ins and that I only like to pet them from far away distances. She is a bunny lover and owner and assures me that they’re harmless. We got on the subject of cats and I knew the meeting went great!

Personal Pieces

Below are images from Sugarcraft! How fun!

(The embroidered circles, painting with pink selves in photo 3 are Wynter's!)

"Through to Our Bones" - Daniel Ferlan, a show curated by Wynter Whiteside

2011-10-03T09:07:00.000-07:00

"And Then Came the Sparkles" by Daniel Ferlan

Friday night I had the pleasure of meeting another 2012 Second Round Judge, Wynter Whiteside. Like I’ve said before I have been e-mailing back and forth with all of the second round judges, but it is always great to meet face to face.

Wynter Whisteside is a grad from the Columbus College of Art & Design, she is a fine artist and also a curator.

I met Wynter at the Sharon Weiss Gallery in the Short North in Columbus for the opening night of “Through to Our Bones” an exhibition of work by Daniel Ferlan, curated by Wynter.

I went to the exhibit not knowing what kind of artwork I was going to see, I didn’t know what to expect. I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Ferlan’s work was pretty cool. His paintings have a sense of humor and a sort of dark undertone. But he uses a lot of playful colors and imagery to evoke the sense of romance and love, which is what this show was about.

The pieces were on the smaller scale, nothing taking up a huge part of the wall, but I think that kind of scale would have taken away from the pieces. Ferlan’s pieces are painted so smoothly and with care that when looking at them you have such an appreciation for the craftsmanship. Along with the painted pieces there was a film looping on a TV in the gallery as well. My favorite pieces were two little paintings by the TV incased in a plastic frame with flowers and decorations inside the frame with the painting. This is definitely a show worth stopping in to see! Not to mention, Columbus Alive named this show one of the top 3 exhibitions to see this fall!

“Through to Our Bones” – Daniel Ferlan will be at the Sharon Weiss Gallery until October 31^st, 2011.

Look out for the next blog post! I’ll be interviewing and meeting with Wynter very soon!

Until then, get out there before it gets too cold and enjoy some artwork!

"My Little Darlings" by Daniel Ferlan

Second Round Judge Excited to Judge for a Second Year

2011-09-22T11:05:00.000-07:00

A little less than a month ago I went to an art opening at the Ohio Art League, an exhibition called, “Impossible Things”. My friend and roommate was in the exhibition, so while looking at the art work and making small talk I noticed that Stephanie Sypsa was working. Stephanie is OAL’s Gallery Director and  Organizational Administrator, and was a past judge and will be a judge for us again for the 2012 awards. I hadn’t met her before, but I had just been e-mailing back and fourth with her, like all of our judges. I went over and introduced myself to her and thanked her for being a judge again for 2012. It was really great meeting a judge that I hadn’t met before and to get to talk in person. Stephanie said that she was more than happy to judge again for our competition and that the process was super easy.

Our judges will be updated soon! We have really great first and second round judges lined up!

New Sponsors Get A New Home

2011-08-24T11:39:00.000-07:00

This past weekend one of our newest sponsors, Shadowbox Live, just opened up at their new location in downtown Columbus in the Brewery District. The new space is larger with more seating (about 300 seats) than the old Easton Town Center location. I read a great article about the opening weekend that you can check out at Columbus Underground.

The actors and music were right on point like they were already comfortable with their new home. If you live in town or are just coming to visit, I’d say stop by for a show. Downtown has so many great things to offer, and with the arrival of Shadowbox Live it has even more.

Shadowbox Live is located in the Brewery District in downtown Columbus. 503 South Front Street, Columbus, Ohio, 43215.

Current and Upcoming Shows:

Legacy: August 19 – November 12

Power Lunch: August 25 – November 11

The Rocky Horror Show: September 11- November 13

Killer Blues: September 21 – November 9

Get out there and support great businesses that support us!

Shadowbox Live in their new location, Brewery District, Columbus.

CCAD Professor and AICUO EVA's Judge Exhibits at Sherrie Gallerie

2011-07-20T08:50:00.000-07:00

I thought I would give you all a good reason to stay inside a few more minutes on this hot Ohio day to enjoy a new blog posting!

It is really exciting for us to see Hiroshi Hayakawa, a previous and current EVA’s second round judge, exhibit his work in a gallery we worked closely with for the AICUO Walking Exhibition in May earlier this year, Sherrie Gallerie.

The series that he has on display, “Vista Interna”, are sculpture like pieces that give viewers an opportunity to interact more with artwork. His pieces are wooden boxes with peepholes and old school cranks to make hands come to life on the inside of the boxes.

Read Melissa Starker’s Exhibit Review in the Columbus Dispatch, she writes a great article about the show. I also suggest if you are in the Columbus area, heading down to the Short North to check out Sherrie Gallerie and Hayakawa’s work. If you can’t make it to the Short North then click here for his blog, he has great pictures and explanations about his current and even past work!

"Vista Interna #5" - Front

"Vista Interna #5" - Back

"Vista Interna #5" - Inside

South Euclid Commercial District and Vacant Buildings Get a Make-Over

2011-07-06T05:56:00.000-07:00

Poster created by
Notre Dame College
Student, Kirstie Hegedus.

Art can make anything look better or more enticing. One of our member institutions, Notre Dame College just recently began collaboration with South Euclid to begin to exhibit artwork through the Storefront Art Initiative. Storefront Art Initiative gives opportunity for current tenants of South Euclid’s commercial district to showcase art work of current young artists and also give the opportunity to make vacant storefronts more appealing. I think we can all agree, seeing artwork in a vacant building window would bring a fresh view to the area. What a great idea! For more information check out their website. http://cityofsoutheuclid.com/economic-development/biz/storefront-art-initiative.html\

Photos of one of the Storefront Art Initiative displays.

Past Award Winner Gets Accepted into National Portrait Gallery’s BP Portrait Award Show in London

2011-06-02T06:59:00.000-07:00

Today is my first blog post as the new AICUO Art Awards Coordinator. My name is Cindy Ellis and I am officially taking over for Noel Ang. This month we wanted to feature and blog about one of our past award winners from our second competition year, Mark Bush.

Mark recently was accepted into the National Portrait Gallery’s BP Portrait Award Show in London for his portrait, “Daniel”. Mark is a fine arts graduate of Columbus College of Art & Design. When looking at his work sometimes it is hard to decipher whether you are looking at a photograph or not, his body of work is no doubt realism. You can see some of his work being shown at Hammond Harkins Galleries in Bexley, Ohio. Also check out his website to get a peek of more of his recent works.

We are always pleased to see our past nominees and finalists doing great things in the art community, congrats Mark!

2011 AICUO Awards Reception

2011-04-14T11:39:00.000-07:00

AICUO Award Winners (from left to right) Christopher Greathouse, Rose Hermalin, Ken Aschliman, Katherine Richards, Wendy Birchfield, Rachel Shelton, and Anh Hoang Vu hold up their unique physical awards.

The AICUO Awards reception took place last night on the Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU) campus. Activities began at 5:00 p.m. with the Student Panel Discussion in the R.W. Corns Building, then proceeded to the finalists' exhibition in the OWU Ross Art Museum.

The reception room boasted a showcase of the six finalists' works, ranging from 3-dimensional media to traditional oil painting, and a central table displaying the physical metal awards. After an interval of mingling and viewing the artwork, Todd Jones, president of AICUO, announced the various winners of the night, beginning with recognition for Caleb Boller, winner of the AICUO Sculpture Design Contest.

Next, Jones revealed the AICUO People's Choice Award winner to be Christopher Greathouse from Denison University. Each winner received a unique metal sculpture as a reward for their accomplishments, a legislative commendation from their hometown, and a prize package from our various in-kind sponsors.

AICUO President Todd Jones (left) with
Grand Award Winner Ken Aschliman

Following the People's Choice Award came the announcement of Ken Aschliman from the Columbus College of Art & Design as the Grand Award Winner. Along with the prizes listed above, Ken also receives a $2,500 cash prize as well as the chance to sell a piece of art to the AICUO office for permanent display.

The other award winners were honored at the reception with a presentation of their award sculpture, commendations and gifts from our sponsors. These winners include:

Wendy Birchfield from The Cleveland Institute of Art
Rose Hermalin from Oberlin College
Anh Hoang Vu from Ohio Wesleyan University
Katherine Richards from The Cleveland Institute of Art
Rachel Shelton from The Cleveland Institute of Art

Short North Walking Exhibition

2011-03-31T13:17:00.000-07:00

painting by Ryan Orewiler

The 2011 AICUO Awards have added a brand new exhibition to the program. This May, each of the six AICUO Award finalists will be showcasing their work in the Columbus Gallery Hop.

For those of you who don't know, the Gallery Hop is a monthly event in the Short North Arts District of Columbus, Ohio. Visitors from all around flock to see the new exhibits in Columbus' most successful galleries, which are open for extended hours. The sidewalks are usually bustling with people shopping around at the distinguished stores in the area, watching street performers, and going in and out of galleries, bars and restaurants.

Those who attend the Hop this May 7, 2011, will be able to see the six AICUO Award finalists' work in a Walking Exhibition of the Short North. Each of the artists have been paired up with a specific gallery to display their work as finalists in the AICUO Award.

Make sure to thank the participating galleries (listed below), who have kindly donated a portion of their space to help promote the success of these emerging artists.

Brandt-Roberts Galleries - Ken Aschliman

Grid Furnishings - Wendy Birchfield

pm gallery - Rose Hermalin

Sherrie Gallery - Katherine Richards

Studios on High Gallery - Rachel Shelton

Terra Gallery - Anh Hoang Vu

AICUO Finalists Revealed

2011-02-28T12:11:00.000-08:00

On February 18, 2011, the first round of judging culminated in the selection of this year's winners for the AICUO Award for Excellence in the Visual Arts. You can see these exceptional senior students' portfolios on the official AICUO Art Award Web site, www.aicuoartaward.com. They are:

Kenneth Aschliman - Columbus College of Art & Design
Wendy Birchfield - Cleveland Institute of Art
Rose Hermalin - Oberlin College
Katherine Richards - Cleveland Institute of Art
Rachel Shelton - Cleveland Institute of Art
Anh Hoang Vu - Ohio Wesleyan University

The competition isn't over yet, though. A second round of judging will decide which of the award winners deserves the coveted Grand Award title, which comes with a substantial monetary prize and other significant privileges.

There is also a competition among all 22 nominees for the online People's Choice Award. Visit the official Web site to vote for your favorite piece by these fine student artists from institutions all across Ohio. The voting process is unlimited, so feel free to click on as many people as you like, as often as you like.

All winners will be revealed at the AICUO Art Award Reception on April 13, 2011. Check out the reception page for more information.

Caleb Boller: 2011 Sculpture Design Champion

2011-02-10T08:52:00.000-08:00

The winner for the 2011 AICUO Sculpture Design Contest has been chosen! After much deliberation, Caleb Boller, from the Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD), received the highest marks for the Sculpture Design Contest. View Caleb's entire entry designs here.

As a junior at CCAD, Caleb studies Industrial Design and also focuses much of his energy on ceramics. Ever since a high school program that he took in his hometown of Roanoke, IN, Caleb has had an interest in all things 3-D. A renowned ceramics teacher, Bill Hunt, drew Caleb to the college, and a Silver Portfolio Scholastics scholarship and CCAD scholarship led him to decide that the central Ohio college was right for him.

For the next step of the Sculpture Design Competition, Caleb will be working with a professional local sculptor (TBA) to bring his pieces to life. Attend the 2011 AICUO Awards Reception on April 13 for the unveiling of the final sculptures!

You can view more of Caleb's work on his Coroflot account at http://www.coroflot.com/cboller.

The 2011 Competition Begins

2011-01-24T11:02:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago marked the student upload deadline for the 2011 AICUO Award for Excellence in the Visual Arts. There have been some astounding student portfolios uploaded, and I can't wait to see the judges' top decisions come mid-February.

This year, we received 22 nominations from 12 different colleges and universities, more than we've ever had before! Once the top six finalists have been chosen, the AICUO Award site will be updated, and everyone can begin voting for the People's Choice Award.

In the meantime, check out the panel of excellent faculty judges on the blog!

Marietta College + Design Group Create a New Residence Hall

2010-12-30T07:58:00.000-08:00

Once again, our main sponsor Design Group makes headlines in Ohio news. This time, it comes in conjunction with AICUO member institution, Marietta College. This past December was a big one for Marietta, as the Board of Trustees approved the building of a new residence hall on campus.

The new residence hall building, which was designed by Design Group in Columbus, Ohio, is set to replace Parsons Hall after its completion and will feature more energy efficient air-conditioning and heating systems, as well as low water consumption fixtures. Overall, it will be a more environmentally conscience structure that promises to increase the parking spots and living areas for resident students at Marietta College.

For more information on this exciting accomplishment, read the original article here.

Click here to take a look at Design Group's other projects and here for more information on Marietta College.

A Bit of Advice from Ryan Orewiler

2010-11-30T13:03:00.000-08:00

I asked 2011 AICUO second round judge Ryan Orewiler to send me some information about him and his judging process, and here's what he sent me. Whether you're participating in the competition or just looking for some good art advice, you should read what this phenomenal Ohio artist has to say:

Greek Church by Ryan Orewiler

"It is my privilege to be a juror for the AICUO Award for Excellence in the Visual Arts and supporting the development of young emerging artists and the development of the arts in Ohio.

I mainly analyze entries and portfolios (specifically for the AICUO award) based on the use of medium and personal expression. Below are various other elements I look for when selecting artists for this award (in no particular order).

• Present innovative concepts and risk taking

• Show knowledge in using design elements and fundamentals

• The artist’s statement should introduce artist’s intentions with their work, medium, process and direction

• Name of work and or series (simple or unique titles can effect the image of the series or
submitted work)

• Overall presentation of work should be consistent

I look forward to viewing your work and encourage you as an emerging artist to pursue your vision."

If you're interested in seeing some of Ryan's work, check out his official Web site at http://www.ryanorewiler.com/. Thanks for the input, Ryan! I'm sure many nominees will benefit from this chunk of advice.

Design Group Receives AIA Columbus Design Award!

2010-11-16T12:52:00.000-08:00

The Grange Insurance Audubon Center

AICUO is proud to announce that our sponsor, Design Group, has received an award for their work on the Grange Insurance Audubon Center near downtown Columbus, OH.

The AIA Columbus Design Award is a prestigious award that recognizes excellent architectural design in the city of Columbus.

To read more about this achievement, look at the Design Group site here.

Finalist Spotlight: Andrew Kuhar

2010-11-02T11:58:00.000-07:00

Andrew (right) stands next to his art at the AICUO Awards reception
with former president of The Cleveland Institute of Art, David Deming.

Last year’s contestant, Andrew Kuhar, was an obvious choice for the AICUO Art Awards finalists group. As a senior in the Cleveland Institute of Art’s T.I.M.E. (Technology Integrated Media Environment) program, Andrew caught the judges’ eyes with his stunning and practical designs, which included game designs, posters, and 3-D modeling. His professional experiences in college led him to a current position at software developing company, Sideways, in Cleveland, Ohio.

I recently had the pleasure to ask Andrew some questions via email to see what he’s been up to, and his answers sure were impressive! Read below to see how his hard work and inspiration led him through the finals of the 2010 AICUO Art Award and onto the path of a promising career.

What made you choose art as your field of study?
I didn't really know it at the time, but there was a very subtle difference between what I truly enjoyed about art and the kinds of art that satisfied it. They were forms of expression that were more familiar to me: music, drawing, story-telling, etc.

Originally I thought I was going to be a draftsman or an illustrator because I was really drawn in by cartoons, comic books, and illustrated novels. Then again, I used to build train tracks with toy models as a toddler, so maybe I would've built railroads if super-heroes in print hadn't saved me from that bizarre fate.

Somehow that all cascaded down and fed my obsession with computer games growing up. I noticed some deep roots shared between my adolescent art practices and games when they began telling stories that were meaningful to me, or provided experiences I could share with people who were already meaningful to me. I knew that I really wanted to share my own stories and experiences through such an engaging and layered medium. I just had no idea how.

So, I picked a starting point (my drawing skills) and went to The Cleveland Institute of Art to better hone them. I figured I had a lot to learn about art and design in general in order to get really good at communicating with aesthetics more broadly, and that I'd learn to specify the end result over time. This goes for any medium too, not just game development, but painting, performance art and even sound pieces. It's a very liberating and fulfilling thought to have, and any opportunity to pursue it professionally is what drove me to stick with art all this time.

What advice would you give student artists about pursuing a career in the arts?

I highly recommend students to embrace collaboration and reach out to other artists and individuals. It broadens your knowledge and enriches your process. I have had a lot of unexpected opportunities in my field, even as a writer for instance, come up because I learned to reach out and keep a pulse on games seriously as both an industry and a medium. It's a useful habit to develop.

Every artist has their habits, but sometimes this gets confused with having an authentic “style”. If I could offer one critical piece of advice, I'd say that artists shouldn't force themselves to change what they're interested in contextually, but they should try to explore different ways of investigating and communicating those interests. Style only projects each individual message better or worse, and remaining patient for the best of them to present themselves often pays off.

It's important to build a foundation of concept and thought, and to pave the road to them with your aesthetics - not the other way around. This is where many college art programs eventually steer you towards, and learning to work with it will make your college career more playful, and your work much more mature and interesting.

Do your own thing, but remember that you don't always have to do it alone. This, in and of itself, is how I've better defined myself as an artist: by the people I work with.

Name one or more positive experiences that stick out in your mind from your time at CIA.

It was a particularly exciting and rewarding experience to present a game project I contributed on to developers at Electronic Arts. Being able to stand with your colleagues and friends and be proud of the work you accomplished together, and to have that recognized by leaders in your field, is not something you get to experience in every college career.

Witnessing someone playing a game you made, and “getting it” is probably the top of the list for me. When working on my thesis, Bloomed., I often found myself being very stressed out by the workload I set for myself, and I also became a little depressed when my prototypes weren't conveying the ideas or emotions I was intending. Bloomed. was a game about being ephemeral and how games, which are very persistent and re-creatable experiences, can try to explore this feeling with tools they already have available to them.

When I finally finished the project and had it installed at the institute during the BFA Exhibit Week, I'd check up on the game to make sure it was still running and that none of the hardware was tampered with or damaged. On one occasion, I walked in on someone that I never met playing the game. They had a very positive experience with Bloomed., and really understood and appreciated what I was trying to do with it. Even with all the flaws I knew it had to improve on, being able to share the spirit of my idea when I was both present and not present, and then hold a meaningful conversation with a person about it, was nothing short of incredible.

What went through your mind when you realized you had been selected as one of CIA’s nominees for the AICUO Award?

I was very surprised, but most of all I felt very honored. As a student, there are a lot of things to aim for and actively seek out. So, when I was actually approached by my mentors with this opportunity, it gave me a very warm feeling. The more I looked into the history of the AICUO Award, the more this feeling increased over time.

Being so busy with thesis work, it was difficult to take on another sizable responsibility with participating in everything that comes with the AICUO Award process, but it was certainly worth it.

What unexpected benefits did you gain from participating in the AICUO Award?

This is somewhat of a personal gain, but I found great benefits in forcing myself to sit down and write out all those artist statements for the work we had to submit! I had such a healthy distance from the projects I included in my portfolio, most of which were from the past year, that it was nice to reflect on how to describe these projects accurately, yet economically as a writing exercise.

Believe it or not, communicating ideas about your work, as much as the work communicates its own ideas, becomes a meaningful part of any artist’s career sooner or later. Going through the awards process reminded me of that.

How has your participation in the AICUO Award affected your post-college career?

I'd say it built my confidence--probably when I needed it most too. Like many artists might express, we're all very self-conscious of our own work. As time goes on without outside input or feedback, that sentiment has the potential to grow exponentially. You know, “This could blow up in my face any minute, and I'm pouring over every detail, but... for what?”

That always feels like a dangerous question to ask yourself during the creative process, the second-guessing, but it's very real and worth answering. You can only do so much of that on your own before you need a thumbs up/down from someone else. To have a group of people very much outside of the college environment I was a part of recognize what I was doing as significant, besides my strictly academic concerns, was hugely gratifying.

As an artist my main concern is whether or not the work moves anybody. So, to have that touched on in a positive way was a push I needed at the time to restore some motivation, which keeps me doing the work I am now. It's a quiet result of the experience, but it does ripple down to my present situation.

Have you made any useful connections from participating in the competition?

It was helpful to meet unfamiliar artists, to see their work and hear them talk about it. It helps culture you as an artist and a person, socially and creatively. So from that perspective it was useful, absolutely.

What are you doing now? Where are you working? Do you like it there?

Currently, I'm a designer at Sideways--we develop applications for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and now iPad in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. I'm responsible for a variety of design-oriented tasks, but lately I've been doing a lot of user-interface design and sound engineering. Aside from that, I've also gotten the chance to do some writing and article/layout design. This past summer, I was interning there as a game designer and artist on a temporary project which led to being offered the full-time position I have now.

There's something to really appreciate about the environment of a startup company because you get to deal with a lot of creative responsibilities right away. On top of that, the communication between my colleagues and me feels very natural and approachable. They quickly made me feel welcomed, so while the workload is often heavy, having good-natured people to work through it with makes the tougher days not only tolerable, but also enjoyable.

Are you happy with the major you chose, and how effective was it in helping you pursue your career goals?

I'm very glad I chose to join the T.I.M.E. (Technology Integrated Media Environment) department at CIA. Opposite of landing me a specific job by doing specific things leading up to it, T.I.M.E. provided the space and tools to explore a lot of creative ventures in the digital space, and that led to me finding opportunity in a number of professional environments relative to my studies. If anything, my major choice showed how many options you can really make for yourself, which takes patience but is truly an ideal situation to be in for finding your career.

The best part of the whole experience in T.I.M.E. was the time spent in our studio with my peers and friends. Beyond the social climate being infectious, they were an incredibly constructive and intelligent group of people to work around. Having people with valued opinions and suggestions on hand beside or behind you at any given moment is truly invaluable. I'll never forget how supportive my studio mates were to each other and to me.

Is there anything else you’d like to say about your experience that you haven’t mentioned yet?

Yes, the visit to the Denison University campus for the awards reception was a real treat. The entire place looked and felt incredible to be around. I'd never been there before, but I certainly would love to visit again someday. Maybe it was being in a very new place, but I felt genuinely inspired after the trip. I'll let the campus and the other finalists share the credit on that one.

Check out these links to see more of Andrew’s work:

Portfolio: http://andrewkuhar.com

Personal Design Blog: http://digitalchemy.wordpress.com

Podcast: http://thescaperoute.wordpress.com/category/the-modcast/

Judge's Advice: Marty Kalb

2010-10-19T07:02:00.000-07:00

Appalachia by Marty Kalb

Good day, everyone!

Today, we are featuring some advice from second-round judge Marty Kalb. As a fine artist in central Ohio, Marty has featured his work in over 150 one-person and group exhibitions. His teaching experience spans over forty years, most of which was spent in the Fine Arts Department at Ohio Wesleyan, so you better believe that this guy knows his stuff when it comes to art.

Here's what he has to say to developing art students:

1. Students in the visual arts need to be clear in their own minds about what they want their audience to see.

2. Everything in a work needs to be there because it contributes to the work's content and ultimate meaning.

3. Art students need to understand their media.

4. Making art is developing a process rather than the production of products.

5. Presentation is critical because it directs the viewer toward the work's meaning.

6. Art students need to learn how to use the critique process to separate themselves from the connections they have to their work based on ego, thus allowing them to more accurately examine the technical issues that may be inhibiting the more effective communication.

For more information on Marty, and to see some of his gorgeous paintings and drawings, check out his Web site at http://martykalb.com.

We've Joined Twitter!

2010-10-08T08:22:00.000-07:00

The AICUO Art Award has joined Twitter! Please click on the link below to follow us and see updates concerning the awards, as well as other enjoyable posts about judges, students, past winners, and sponsors!

http://twitter.com/AICUO_ArtAward

Maia Brown: 2010 Grand Award Winner

2010-10-01T07:58:00.000-07:00

Hello, artists and art enthusiasts! Today, I’m sharing an interview with Maia Brown, winner of the 2010 Grand Award Prize. As a recent graduate from Oberlin College, Maia shares with us her inspiration, advice, and her experiences as an award-winning art student. After reading the article, you should check out her portfolio at our Web site and see how this talented artist came to win the 2010 AICUO Grand Award Prize.

What made you choose art as your field of study?

I have always drawn, ever since childhood. I do not think I thought much about it for a long time, but it became clear that it was something that I not only could not stop doing if I tried, but began to find as intellectually stimulating as other academics. In college I found that immersing myself in the practice of art and the study of other fields (I was also a history major) was an incredibly mutually enriching experience. Art was always a mode to explore more fully the study of other methodologies for knowing about the world.

What advice would you give student artists about pursuing a career in the arts?

I have found--with my very limited experience--that the most important thing is to want to do what you are doing. I only create when it feels urgent. It has always been more about my need to think about something as well as a passion for material that has driven me to make. I once heard an art critic, who I thought to be incredibly condescending and even unkind at the time, say: "if you can see yourself doing anything else, don't be an artist." I do not think this is necessarily true. I think artists have always been involved in many different worlds outside of art--activism, literature--the written word, etc.--that is what enriches or fuels their work. But I do think that it true that art has to remain central to your being to be able to pursue it during a lifetime. This does not mean a successful "career" in the sense of gallery recognition...but merely that to keep doing it (for yourself), it has to be incredibly important. And that should be what constitutes pursuing a career in the arts--being able to consistently do the work.

Name one or more positive experiences that stick out in your mind from your time at Oberlin.

I have been incredibly lucky. Mostly the relationships I have built over 4 years with students, community members, and professors have been the highlight of my time. You find mentors in many different places.

What went through your mind when your name was announced as the Grand Award winner for the AICUO Award?

Probably shock. I was waiting for Amina's name to be called--my Oberlin friend and peer who was also nominated. I have never really won an award in such an official sense, so it was a surprise.

What benefits did you gain from participating in the AICUO Award?

I think having an online portfolio has been huge. Now when people ask about my work, I can say: "check it out here.” I think that winning the AICUO EVAs Grand Award has been part of a process of thinking of myself more seriously as an artist. It is a great honor to be recognized, but it is also a real gift that has helped to solidify my commitment to continuing with my work.

The AICUO Award Blog Begins!

2010-09-28T05:56:00.000-07:00

This is the official blog with weekly updates, articles and information about the AICUO Award for Excellence in the Visual Arts (EVAs). If you’d like to learn more about the contest, you can check out the official Web site here.

My name is Noel Ang, the Art Awards Coordinator at AICUO, and I will be updating this blog with interviews, articles, and general information pertaining to the competition. Feel free to follow the blog if you’re interested in participating, supporting, or just keeping up with our activities. We will also be featuring news from our sponsors and anything else that promotes the arts in Ohio. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy the blog!