North Idaho College held an art show April 20 in the Student Union Building that displayed many works from around the Coeur d’Alene area to provide local artists and students alike a chance to showcase their work, as well as a chance to earn best in show and to win a month of free exhibit in the local downtown Coeur d’Alene gallery, Blackwell Gallery. The winners of best in the show were Lauren Moreno in first place for “Dreamy Whale”, fine arts, 20, Athol, Matti Mcdonald in second for “Mufasta”, genral education, 20, Grangville, and Erika Brisboy in third for “Inside after Mealtime”, arts, 18, Sandpoint. Attendees of the event had the opportunity to purchase the local artist’s works.
Moreno said that she was simply “happy to be invited” to participate in the show.
“I never expected this much attention from my art work,” Moreno said. “I didn’t really have an idea beforehand [on what the pieces would be]. My art just kind of happens. I really like dreamy, surrealism kinds of stuff.”
Moreno said she had originally planned on keeping art as a hobby and sticking to her work with disabled adults and eventually continuing on to work in special education. After winning the show so “unexpectedly” she has reevaluated and now plans on entertaining art as a career, but definitely wants it in her life “no matter what.”
Mcdanald said that her second prize work was simply to show off her “love of cats.” Brisboy’s third place work was a remake of her original piece from a profile, but remade it for the show.
“I think the front view is a better representation of what is going on,” Brisboy said.
All the show winners were members of the NIC student body, but Robert Perry, NIC photography instructor and art club administrator, was adament when stating that he had sent notice into the local art community imploring artists to submit their best work.
“The thing we did here was enlist the presence of community. We put an interest in the artists all around the community,” Perry said. “It’s a great opportunity to become better known as an artist. Winning the spot in the gallery is a huge deal when getting your work out there.”
Perry reported that his biggest investment in the show was a strong sense of community but in the art community and otherwise.