Chocolate returns to the Student Art Exhibition
On April 15, PVCC students, faculty, staff, and members of the wider community gathered together to enjoy chocolate and art in the Dickinson building art gallery for the first time since the annual Chocolate Chowdown’s two year hiatus.
PVCC’s Art Gallery was adorned with over 85 pieces of student art ranging in medium from acrylic paintings to motion graphic video. While some attendees browsed the various pieces, others sat down in the common area, chatting, coloring, and eating the wide variety of chocolate sweets.
Student artists walked the halls viewing both their newly framed art and their audience. These artists were easily identified by glittery stars that had been given to them by one of the event organizers, Associate Professor of Art Fenella Belle. “Some students are very happy to participate, and some students maybe need a little encouragement, and they maybe don’t realize that their work is good enough to put up,” said Belle.
Due to concerns over COVID-19 transmission and COVID-19 lockdown, the Student Art Exhibition has been hosted online for the past two years. The first year, Belle gave chocolates to all the student participants in the exhibition because of the fact that it had to be canceled due to COVID-19. Currently, the Annual Student Exhibition has both an online and physical showing of the student art to provide greater accessibility.
To the benefit of the art connoisseurs in attendance, almost all of the student artwork was available for sale, with a few exceptions. As of opening night of the exhibition, five pieces had already been sold.
Belle said, “Some students have put a lot of hours into their pieces and don’t want to sell. For some students, we can take their pieces and make a scan for digital prints instead of the original, and for some of these, I ask students if I can make a digital print and put them up around Piedmont in different offices.”
“I went through the whole exhibit, and it looks really good. There’s quite a variety, there’s a diversity of mediums as well as styles, and I’m happy with it. It looks really strong,” said Belle.
All artwork will remain up in the PVCC Gallery located in the 3rd floor North and South Hallways of the Dickinson Building until Sept. 9. For any individuals wishing to purchase one of the works, contact Professor Belle at fbelle@pvcc.edu.
