Story and photos by Josh Lister
March 31, 2025
HOUSTON- The University of Houston – Clear Lake, bachelor of fine arts graduating class exhibits their work at the UHCL Art Gallery. A reception and awards ceremony for the artists happened March 27.
Aileen Kelly, Exhibitions Coordinator, Office of Cultural Arts, and the featured artists set up the exhibit the week before its opening on March 25. The exhibit will remain on display until April 25. Entry is free and the exhibit is a collection of ceramics, drawings, photography, paintings, sculpture and textiles.
The exhibits are a combination of the artists’ personal expressions and projects created as classwork. Artist Jori Salazar Sanchez discussed her piece “Alma de Cobres” as an example of design work for a class. The work, a digital art piece created in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, is a mockup of an advertising poster for a hotel in Mexico. It features a scene inspired by flowers and Mayan symbols. Salazar Sanchez discussed her work titled “Alebrije”, based on Mexican mythology. The work represents “a way to make transformation and discovery,” said Salazar Sanchez, who went on to say that much of her work is inspired by the work of Hayao Miyazaki, a Japanese artist and founder of Studio Ghibli.
“A comforting guy just reading,” is how artist Jacob West describes his photograph titled “The Reader”. The piece was inspired by cosplay and features a self-portrait of West holding a book while wearing a shy guy mask. Of his drawing “We are All Broken”, West says, “I can take my own mental trauma and put them into beautiful pieces of art.” West describes how the piece tells the story that we all have pain or imperfections that make us self-conscious, and that is alright.
Art fans, Sierra Torres and Madinah Ali, examine a series of paintings by artist Larissa Clark, called “Thoughts of Bunnies,” portraying bunnies in various situations, such as wearing a cowboy hat and boots. Ali decided her favorite bunny was the one in a cupcake, while Torres is partial to the bunny holding a knife. “[The Exhibit] is organized really well,” says Ali while describing the layout of the exhibit. Torres’ favorite piece of art is Clark’s “Thoughts of Bunnies” while Ali chose photographer Kimberley Dutton’s photographs as her favorite.
UHCL president, Dr. Richard Walker started the awards ceremony by introducing a new policy. Five pieces of art of his choosing will be put on loan to the office of the president to hang in the president’s office. The five pieces were as follows.
- Abstract Space by Fernanda Zamora
- Soda Disc by Lauren Matney
- Grass and Water by Amber Farrar
- It’s in the Eyes by Diana Beraza
- Into Dust by Kimberly Dutton
The Dean’s Choice Award was given to:
- Dolores Benchellal for her piece, In Celebration of the Crone.
Show awards were given to:
- Honorable Mention – Into Dust by Kimberly Dutton
- Honorable Mention – Thoughts of Bunnies by Larissa Clark
- Honorable Mention – Porcelain Habitat by Tiffany Messina
- 3rd Place – Limerence by Walter McNairy
- 2nd Place – Self Portrait by Diamonndlee Velez
- 1st Place – Investor by Michael Morris
- Best In Show – The Column by Lauren Matney
Congratulations to all the awardees and to all the artists who participated.
You can visit the UHCL Art Gallery in the Bayou Building in the northwest corner of Atrium I. The gallery is open from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is no cost to visit the gallery but parking requires a parking pass or a visitor pass which can be purchased from one of the visitor pay station kiosks. More information about parking is available here. Parking rates are two hours for $4, four hours for $7.50 or all day for $10 at time of writing.
For more information about the UHCL Art Gallery see their webpage here.
