Local students' art chosen for Youth Art Exhibition

(Photo contributed) Metal Tribal Mask by Taylor Clarey. [Click to enlarge]

The four students and their artwork are: Taylor Clarey, sixth grade, metal Tribal Mask; Rejoice Peraza, seventh grade, metal Repousse' Fish; Emily Corbin and Lindsay Meylor, eighth grade, Cubism Cubes.

All four are students of Le Mars Community Middle School art teacher Amy Anderson.

(Photo contributed) Cubism Cubes by Lindsay Meylor and Emily Corbin. [Click to enlarge]

A total of 357 entries were submitted to the exhibition by middle school art teachers from 17 schools in the tri-state area.

"We had 30 projects entered in the show," Anderson said.

This year's juror, Nan Wilson, a Sioux City artist and educator, selected 85 works representing a variety of both two- and three-dimensional art media. Works were judged on originality, creativity and excellence of workmanship.

(Photo contributed) Metal Fish by Rejoice Peraza [Click to enlarge]

The juror grants awards to each grade level, including Best in Show, Director's Award; first, second and third place awards and honorable mention.

The show opened Feb. 28 and will be on display through April 19 in the Jensen, Everist and Terra Galleries of the Sioux City Art Center, 225 Nebraska Street.

An opening reception was held Sunday afternoon, with the presentation of awards by Sioux City Mayor Michael Hobart and Dr. Paul A. Gausman, Superintendent of Schools in Sioux City.

"The place was packed," said Anderson of the reception. "I was lucky to find my students."

Three of the four Le Mars students were able to attend the ceremony.

Iowa schools represented in addition to Le Mars Community were East Middle School, Mater-Dei Nativity Center, North Middle School and West Middle School, Sioux City; Cherokee Middle School, Cherokee; Hinton Community Schools, Hinton; Laurens Marathon, Laurens; Odebolt-Arthur Community Schools, Odebolt; Orange City Christian School, Orange City; Schleswig Community Schools, Schleswig; and West Monona Junior High, Onawa; and from Nebraska, Homer Community Schools and Randolph Public Schools.

Anderson encourages everyone to check out the exhibit.

There is no admission charge.