Annual Student Art Show: Dreams Come to Life

Celebrate artistic excellence and creative expression at Truckee Meadows Community College’s (TMCC) 50th Annual Student Art and Design Show on Wednesday, April 17, from 5–7 p.m. at the TMCC Main Art Gallery inside the V. James Eardley Student Center! Immerse yourself in a captivating display of talent as our students showcase their exceptional skills across various mediums, including photography, drawing, three-dimensional works, painting, and digital art, on display from April 1 through May 2. This milestone event promises a diverse and inspiring collection that reflects the dynamic perspectives of our student artists. Join us in commemorating five decades of visionary achievement, innovation, and the vibrant community that has fueled the growth of imagination at TMCC. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to witness the evolution of originality over the years and support the next generation as they push the boundaries of perception and skill.

Additionally, the juror, Maria Partridge, gallery curator at Sierra Arts Foundation, will give a special presentation at 5:30 p.m. on her work and what she looks for in awarding prizes, followed by the awards ceremony. Refreshments will be available, and the reception is free and open to the public.

Every Canvas Is a Journey All Its Own

Kyle Karrasch, Art Galleries Curator and Visual Arts Instructor, broke down the phenomenal pieces exhibited for the public to experience, encouraging your meditative impressions as you transport yourself to fantastical imagery crafted by passionate individuals who infuse stories into their artwork. The flecks of each brush stroke or corner of a balanced digital compilation are ours to discover meaning in, beginning with the acrylic illustration pictured above.

Capitalism by Crowley Foster and Gwyneth Crowe

“I haven’t seen a collaboration between two students submitted to the student show before in my time as curator, especially with artwork so rich in color, filled with symbolism, and steeped in metaphor. It is a unique visual image that looks to be done by a single artist, but I can’t tell which of them did what in this piece, which speaks to their skill and the stylization of the work these two have chosen to do. It is a testament to collaboration in the arts," said Karrasch.

Riders Under the Aurora by Will Barber

“Will Barber’s artworks I am familiar with have always been fantastical in aesthetic and characteristic of a Rorschach test," Karrasch shares. "However, when I received this piece as a submission in the student show, I instantly recognized he was taking a new approach derived from last fall with well-known local artist Nolan Preece. Preece exhibited in our Main Gallery and taught an artist’s workshop to our students, a process called chemigrams. This work of Barbers is an excellent example of someone who incorporated Preece’s style into their work.”

Lion Mask by Kirsten Batrez

"This is a piece I might be a bit biased of as Kirsten Batrez is a student in my sculpture class this semester," Karrasch explains, "however, this piece is a great example of learning something new and knocking the assignment out of the ballpark. Having never worked with cardboard as a medium, Kirsten visualized something in her mind and brought the idea into the real world with incredible craftsmanship and dedication. I’ve seen a lot of masks, but when she brought this into critique, I was impressed with the aesthetics and skill she learned so quickly to achieve something of this magnitude."