Winners Announced for the 12th Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition
A lively crowd filled the Broadway Gallery on PCCC’s Main Campus in Paterson where an April 24 reception and awards ceremony was held for the 12th Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition.
For a dozen years now, PCCC’s Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition has been a major achievement testifying to the student talent, faculty expertise, and extraordinary commitment of PCCC’s Fine and Performing Arts program and Cultural Affairs Department.
The 2025 exhibit features some 46 artworks by 35 student artists, a rich and diverse array of paintings, drawings, photography, digital designs, and more, on display at the PCCC Broadway Gallery on the Main Campus in historic downtown Paterson, New Jersey and online at pccc.edu/artshow2025.
This year’s jurors were two adjunct art professors at PCCC. Margaret Olsen holds an MFA degree from Brooklyn College and has taught art and exhibited her own work widely. Melissa McAlpin, a visual artist, is a graduate of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Her work appears in exhibitions and is also in several private collections.
Five of the six award-winning works were announced at the reception ceremony. The People’s Choice Award is a prize given for the work chosen by online voting, which was also open to the general public.
Congratulations to Julio Manguina whose digital illustration “Light in His Eyes,” was the clear favorite among voters for The People’s Choice Award.
In addition to cash prizes in four of the categories, all award recipients received a $50 gift certificate (GC) to Blick Art Materials, a longtime sponsor of the exhibition.
AWARD RECIPIENTS
Best of Show – Airelle Silva; The Remix, colored pencil – $125 + GC
First Prize – Rowan Archimede; Creation, mixed media – $100 + GC
Second Prize – Ashkena Novo Roa; The Art of Procrastination, mixed media print – $50 + GC
Third Prize – Carlos Luis Mera Anzules; Abnegation, digital art – $25 + GC
Most Creative – Ari Crosby; Foreclosure Eviction, pen – Gift Certificate
People’s Choice – Julio Maguina; Light in His Eyes, digital illustration – Gift Certificate
Art professors Jill Sluka (Graphic Design) and Azadeh Amiri (Studio Art) and to Professor Walter Behr, chair of the Fine and Performing Arts program at PCCC, demonstrated their tremendous commitment to encouraging and exhibiting the creative achievement of PCCC students, many of whom not only exhibited, but also helped to prepare and hang the exhibition, a hands-on learning experience that will prove valuable in their future art careers.
Susan Balik, director of the PCCC Cultural Affairs Department, and her collaborator, Vel Hodson provided support with publicity and the reception.
The 2025 Juried Student Art Exhibition will remain at the Broadway Gallery until May 22 and Gallery admission is free. The virtual exhibit can be accessed anytime at pccc.edu/artshow2025
Find more information about Fine and Performing Arts at PCCC.
Written by Linda Telesco
Photos by Professor Azadeh Amiri
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