Creative students at Wichita State now have a place to have their work featured for all to see right in the heart of campus.

The Wilson K. Cadman Art Gallery, sponsored by Student Involvement, offers a home for WSU students to promote their creative works in a new RSC facility, located in front of the Chik-fil-A on the first floor of the RSC.

As a part of the 22nd annual Elements Multimedia Art Competition, the Cadman Art Gallery celebrated its grand opening Tuesday night with refreshments, fanfare and student artwork.

“It just allows students who are very talented but may not have enough artwork to complete their own exhibit,” said Tia Hill, program adviser through the Office of student Involvement and the gallery’s supervisor.

The annual Elements Multimedia Art competition is designed for WSU students to enter their own original artwork, have it judged by Wichita area judges and have it featured in the gallery.

“It’s a multi-divisional arts competition that is open to any student currently enrolled here at WSU, regardless of their area of study,” said Sarah Kurwelnz, WSU student and gallery attendant.

Sixteen pieces were selected for the elements award, with winners selected from the categories of ceramics, drawing, mixed media and painting. There was also an audience choice award and best of show award.

WSU student Martina Salerno won first place in painting, best of show and audience choice award at the 22nd annual awards ceremony.

“Its pretty cool — it is awesome to have [my artwork] featured where it gets a lot of traffic,” Salerno said. “I just kind of use primary colors and lines — a minimalist approach.”

Salerno is a recent transfer student from bioengineering.

“The students who submitted the artwork are from different backgrounds — biological anthropology, engineering, etc.,” Hill said.

Works displayed in the gallery are featured for two weeks before being exchanged for the next.

Students interested in having their work featured in the gallery must go through a few steps: application, selection, judgement and then posting.

Hill said any student is welcome to apply for their works to go before a selection board, where students will present their concepts and ideas with what they want featured in the gallery.

The gallery is more than published pieces of art, Hill said. They are the lessons learned by the artists with featured work.

“[The gallery] provides an opportunity for students to develop and exhibit their own works — they are in charge of curating and marking their own works, so they get all of the different experiences and are well rounded,” Hill said.

One message from the gallery staff to the WSU population is clear.

“I just want them to know that it is here,” said Kurwelnz. “People walk by it all the time and it would be nice to have them come through and look at everything.”

For more information on the Cadman Art Gallery about viewing or exhibition, visit wichita.edu/CadmanGallery or call Student Involvement at 978-3022.