Editor’s Note: Savanna Nichols is an illustrator with The Sunflower. Nichols was one of the student artists awarded at the reception. The Sunflower is dedicated to fair and equal coverage. Nichols had no part in the reporting, writing or editing process of this story.
Three student artists from Wichita State were honored with cash prizes at the Emerging Artists reception on Friday. This year’s reception was the eighth annual Emerging Artists reception. It is usually hosted by the Art and Design Advocates, the patron group of the School of Art, Design and Creative Industries.
The Advocates work to raise funds that go towards creating student opportunities from international travels to attending conferences.
Aly Horn, JaiDe Brown and Savanna Nichols were selected by juror and New York based artist Ann Resnick for the awards.
Each artist received a part of the $2,500 prize pool, which was sponsored by Aspen Boutique, Frank and Fido and the Cotillion.
Aly Horn, a graduate student working towards their Master of Fine Arts at Wichita State, received one of the two $1,000 checks that were handed out.
“I hate it,” they said about receiving the check. “I’m not really one for competition and things like that so it’s a bit daunting. So I hope I don’t get too big of an ego.”
Horn’s work often focuses on the struggles of childhood trauma, through the persona of a stuffed bear named Honey.
“It’s a lot easier to be like ‘Yeah this happened to this super cute, cuddly creature and not me,’” they said. “(I’m) building up that story around it to kind of give it a little bit more limelight to child trauma that’s happened, not only to me, but hopefully other people.”
JaiDe Brown is studying studio art at the university and in her free time, she teaches ceramics throughout the city.
“I feel very validated in my art form, and I’m really proud to represent for ceramics because I feel like we’re very underrated,” Brown said.
Brown said a lot of the time, she builds her pieces based on intuition, starting with a broad idea.
“After a few hours of building, I take a step back, let it sit for a few days, I kind of ruminate,” she said. “(I) have it tell me where it wants to go. With my more functional work, I usually go into that with more of a plan. I am (also) exploring this new process, photolithography, so I’m taking photos I’ve taken from around town and then printing them onto my ceramic pieces.”
Savanna Nichols, a senior at WSU studying studio arts, was the recipient of a $500 check.
“I’m really excited, I didn’t think I’d get anything,” they said. “It’ll probably go back into preparing for the senior show we do at the end of the semester, into supplies and snacks to fuel my eight-hour (days).”
Nichols focuses on including symbolism, biology and mythology in their work.
“These are all different self-portraits,” they said about their displayed work. “A metaphor for growing up and maturing, trying to be my own person.”
Art from the three award recipients and the twelve other students is on display in the ShiftSpace gallery located in HarvesterArts in downtown Wichita through the March 27th.
