SALISBURY, N.C. – Students enrolled in art and graphic design programs of study at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College have had their work recognized and displayed locally, statewide and nationally.
“We are extremely proud of our students and are excited to see their excellent work recognized by those outside the College,” said Dr. Carol Spalding, president at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.
Throughout the Fall 2022 semester and into the Spring 2023 semester, students have racked up several awards and recognition, including:
- Two Advertising & Graphic Design students, Bethany Moore and Khettie Chanthaheuang, had their designs selected as the front and back covers for the North Carolina Community College System Conference program booklet in October 2022.
- Advertising & Graphic Design student Gary Hoyt was selected to create work for a traveling public art exhibition through the Charlotte Regional Visitor’s Authority.
- Associate in Fine Arts student Celena Amburgey was awarded multiple residencies this academic year, most recently was a residency at The Truro Center of the Arts at Edgewood Farm. Amburgey also had work selected for the Cabarrus Art Guild Fall Juried Exhibition at Clearwater Arts Center and Studios. Her work also has been included in several online exhibitions throughout the U.S. and Canada.
- The College’s Department of Art and Design invited Salisbury residents to participate in the creation of a community abstract mural project in December. Participants created an abstract mural with their hands rather than brushes. Since each person’s handprint is unique, the project acknowledged individuals and their identities. Visual arts instructor Nieko McDaniel spearheaded the project, which was funded by a Student Government Association project grant. The artwork and documentation is being displayed at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.
- Associate in Fine Arts student Tyler Wagoner had two photographs selected for the Emerging Vision: Student Exhibition at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center and won the Best in Show Award.
- Art & Design students Isaiah Neal and David Duran-Romero had work on display in A Fighting Chance, an exhibition highlighting artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC+) in recognition of Black History Month. Associate in Arts student Ashley Briggs also had work in A Fighting Chance. BIPOC+ artists have traditionally been underrepresented in United States galleries and museums. This exhibition’s intention is to share The Bridge Gallery space and elevate underrepresented voices and experiences in the community. For more information, please visit: www.rccc.edu/finearts/thebridgegallery.
- Advertising and Graphic Design students Manuel Cuevas Nuñez and Carolina Vergason were winners of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College’s 2022 Voter Sticker Design Contest.
- Art & Design Students Omolara Fodeke, Elizabeth Avalos, Dorothy Brady, Morgan Hesse, Jolie Culbreth and Briana Richer participated in an invitational exhibition titled Women’s Work in The Bridge Gallery.
Additionally, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College hosted a juried Fall Art Exhibition in October 2022 at Rail Walk Studios and Gallery, and several students earned awards for outstanding work including:
- Associate in Fine Arts student Lexi Cantor earned The President’s Choice Award.
- Advertising and Graphic Design students Bethany Moore and Aniya Williams received honorable mentions.
- Casey Earnhardt also received an honorable mention.
“This list shows that there is no shortage of talent among the students enrolled in the art and design programs at Rowan-Cabarrus,” said Jenn Gardner Selby, chair of the Rowan-Cabarrus Department of Art & Design. “We know that our students are exceptional artists and designers. We’re thrilled that so many others are recognizing it, too!”
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Associate in Fine Arts graduates have a high success rate, with past graduates transferring to top art and design universities in North Carolina and across the United States.