The nine participating students represented three disciplines – ceramics, photography and printmaking – and were recommended for the project by three SBCC faculty members. Dr. Friedlander selected one piece of work in each category. The recipients were: Greg Bernal, “Yosemite” (ceramics), Michael Martin del Campo, “Sin.presl,ingway” (photography), and Athena Brown, “Big City, Free Flight,” (printmaking). Each received $400 from the Foundation for SBCC through a personal donation from Dr. Friedlander. The remaining six students were awarded $50 each.
“I was very impressed with the range of talent shown by the students in developing pieces that combined their esthetics with mine,” said Dr. Friedlander. Earlier, the students were invited into his office to view his artwork and also studied pictures of artwork at his home.
“The arts play such a crucial role in our society,” Dr. Friedlander added. “SBCC supports and promotes the value of the arts, not only through the classroom and the Atkinson Gallery, but in the community as well. I am pleased I personally was able to support both our students and the arts in general through this project.”
All the students who participated were winners, according to Atkinson Gallery Director Dane Goodman, who coordinated the project. “Each was recommended by a faculty member in their discipline which speaks strongly of their talent. They also had an excellent learning opportunity to explore the role of a commissioned artist and to expand their own esthetics to include those of the client.”
The other six students included: Gina Agapito and Mitch Springer (ceramics), Amelia Coyle and Matilda Kjell (photography), and Evelyn Contreras and Britta Young (printmaking). The SBCC faculty involved in the project were Professor of Art Christopher Bates, Assistant Professor of Art Stephanie Dotson, and Professor of Graphic Design and Photography Linda Lowell.