Paintings, sculptures and mixed-media works filled the SLU Contemporary Art Gallery during the opening reception for the 2026 annual Juried Student Exhibition on Thursday, March 12, at 5 p.m., celebrating student artists selected for display.
The exhibition allows art students to publicize their work.
Interim department head of visual art and design Jeffery Mickey explained the exhibition represents more than practice; it stands as a testament to the strength of the creative community.
“We’re strong as creative people, working in an environment that sometimes subdues that creativity, but we persevere through that,” Mickey said.
Two jurors from the art community are invited to the campus annually to aid in the selection process.
This year’s exhibition was juried by Orlando Hernández Ying, the Lapis Curator of the Arts of the Americas at the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA), and New Orleans graphic designer Kay Curley. Jurors Ying and Curley brought extensive professional experience to the exhibition.
Ying has more than 20 years of experience as an art historian and museum professional. Before joining NOMA, he previously served as a curatorial associate at the Hispanic Society Museum and Library in New York.
Curley has worked with several notable clients, including MetaAI, Nike, Sephora and the Color Factory Museum.
Submissions were open to all university students. Over 400 works were submitted, with only 142 accepted into the exhibition.
“It’s a very vulnerable thing to put your work out there…I know it’s heartbreaking when you don’t have your work selected,” said Christina Molina, director of the SLU Contemporary Art Gallery. “It’s part of the process of being an artist to understand that art is subjective.”
Despite the prospect of failure, Molina encouraged students to continue submitting their work and sharing it publicly.
The works were selected through a meticulous process in which jurors were invited to a pre-exhibition and encouraged to walk the gallery floor several times to conduct a thorough evaluation. This process resulted in the selection of the final exhibition with the “Best in Show” awards.
Award recipients received public recognition, along with a $50 gift certificate to Mo’s Art Supply & Framing.
The “Best in Show” award winners were as follows:
- Best in Show: Raynia Johnson
- Best in Drawing: Rhiannon Conte
- Best in Painting: Ashton Howard
- Best in 2D Design: Leah Sanchez
- Best in 3D Design: Chloe Vogt
- Best in Sculpture: Raynia Johnson
- Best in Photo: Amanda Babin
- Best in Graphic Design: Trinitee Wilson
- Best in Printmaking: Frankie Allen King
- Best in Ceramics: Keriah Buckley
- Best in New Media: Steven Mangiaracina
For some students, the exhibition marked a first step into the juried art world, where Kariah Buckley, a junior psychology major, won best in show for her ceramic work.
Buckley expressed the importance of the recognition, as it was her first time submitting to a juried exhibition – and her first time being accepted and winning an award.
“This is a pretty important event for me. This started as just a hobby, and now it’s something I think I’m going to do for a long period of time. So me being able to get into the show and win an award is a pretty big deal to me,” Barkley said.
While recognition is rewarding, some students emphasized the importance of simply putting yourself out there. Nathan Lee, a freshman graphic design major, said self-doubt is a significant factor in preventing students from participating in juried exhibitions.
“I think you need to have confidence in your work. Don’t discount student work. Don’t discount the work that you do in your classes. It means something,” Lee said.
The gallery will remain open from March 12 to Friday, April 17. To view the works, the gallery is located in East Strawberry Stadium on campus, on 411 Ned McGehee Drive.
For more information, visit the SLU Contemporary Art Gallery webpage.
