Department of Visual Arts hosts LOUISIANA Next-Gen: A Juried High School Art Exhibition

The Department of Visual Arts at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the Fletcher Hall Gallery are currently hosting LOUISIANA NEXT-GEN, A Juried High School Art Exhibition through October 2nd. The Exhibition features High School Artwork from students (grades 9 – 12) who reside in throughout the state of Louisiana. The following High Schools participated:

Buckeye High School
Episcopal School of Acadiana
Lake Charles-Boston Academy
LSU Laboratory School
Mount Carmel Academy
Ovey Comeaux High School
St. Thomas More High School
Southside High School
Woodlawn High School

The goal of the exhibition is to inspire young artists by providing a platform for their work to be displayed in a professional, artistic venue and thus giving them a taste of a professional artist experience. The exhibition offers students a positive exhibition experience along with the opportunity to showcase the finest creative work in the state

A high school art teacher or a representative must submit artwork were allowed to submit up to 10 pieces of art all completed by the student artist and produced during the past academic year. The exhibition features Ceramics, Computer Art, Drawing, Graphic Design, Metalwork and Jewelry, New Media and Digital Art, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, or Sculpture

UL Lafayette Department of Visual Arts Faculty, Asst. Prof Hagit Barkai and Asst. Prof Kat Gordon served as jurors for this year’s exhibition.  The criteria for awards selection were based of technical proficiency, use of medium, originality, narrative, self-expression, presentation, and craftsmanship. A top work from each of the ten media categories will be selected.  From those ten works, First, Second, and Third-place winners will be selected, along with two honorable mentions

First Place: $500 – Kerrin Whitley, Unknowing, graphite on paper, Woodlawn High School

Second Place: $300 – Lilly LaFleur, The Old Lie, stoneware and mixed media, Episcopal School of Acadiana

Third Place: $200– Piper Leger, Phantom, silver gelatin print a of digital negative, Episcopal School of Acadiana

Honorable Mention: $50 – Alaina Le, Criticism, mixed media, Saint Thomas More

Honorable Mention: $50 – Tyler Chen, Sunny Side Up, stoneware and wire, Episcopal School of Acadiana

The Department would also like to acknowledge the top work from each media category:
Ceramics – Tyler Chen, Sunny Side Up, stoneware and wire, Episcopal School of Acadiana
Computer Art and Animation – Nathan Romero, Pandemic Pandemonium, digital image, Southside High School
Drawing – Kerrin Whitley, Unknowing, graphite on paper, Woodlawn High School
Graphic Design– Casi Speziale, Recital, digital image, Mount Carmel Academy
Metal Work & Jewelry – Haley Wiggins, You, mixed media, Buckeye High school
Painting – Alaina Le, Criticism, mixed media, Saint Thomas More
Photography – Piper Leger, Phantom, silver gelatin print of a digital negative, Episcopal School of Acadiana The Episcopal School of Acadiana
Sculpture – Lily LaFleur, The Old Lie, stoneware and mixed media, Episcopal School of Acadiana

Where: UL Lafayette, Fletcher Hall Gallery, RM 207, 412 East Lewis Street, Lafayette, LA 70504
When: August 2 - October 2, 2021 - Closing Reception: Saturday October 2, 1:00 - 3:00pm
Time: Gallery Hours are Monday - Thursday 9:00-4:00pm and Friday 9:00-12:00pm

Contact: For more information Claire Amy Schultz, PhD at (337) 482-5321 or claire.schultz@louisiana.edu or
Michael Eble, Curator of the Fletcher Hall Gallery at (337) 482-5318 or michael.eble@louisiana.edu.