High schoolers compete in WU campus gallery
Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 6:51PM By Alison Angel
alisona@mytjnow.com
High schoolers have taken over the McLaurin Student Gallery.
The second annual photography competition for K-12 students all across South Carolina will be the first gallery exhibition of Winthrop’s 2011 spring season.
The South Carolina Schools Photography Competition will display 36 entries from student submissions in the state.
This year, 80 students submitted 240 pieces.
Karen Derksen, gallery director, said Winthrop hosts the event to allow students in South Carolina access to the university and to generate interest.
Photographer Carolyn DeMeritt will do the judging.
“We’re hoping that by putting their interest into the competition and being juried by someone who is of prominence in the area and having it sponsored by Winthrop,” Derksen said. “That will encourage them to look into our program here because our program is so strong in photography.”
This competition is restricted to K-12 entries.
However, due to financial issues, there is no on-campus competition similar to the S.C. Schools Photography Competition.
“It’s hard enough to carry on raising money for this one; to get more money for another one would be a real challenge,” said photography professor Phil Moody. “There are several things for students, but nothing on campus at this stage.”
Photography majors have had success with national competitions, and many students are picked as finalists, Moody said.
“The chair of fine arts, Tom Stanley, does a great job of e-mailing the art students regularly, letting them know of exhibition opportunities to either submit work in or to just come and check out work from others,” said junior photography major Olivia White.
White said when photography majors begin their upper-level classes, professors are helpful when students are working on their exhibit.
Winthrop hosts the Annual Undergraduate Juried Exhibition every semester, which allows any art majors to submit their work and gives opportunity for those students interested in exhibiting their work to do so.
The chosen entries will be displayed in the Lewandowski Student Gallery at Winthrop Jan. 24 through Feb. 24.
