VSU Wins Best in Show, Other Awards at South Georgia College Art Invitational

Zachary K. Steele with his award-winning oil on canvas titled "Meat Abstract 1."

VALDOSTA — Zachary K. Steele’s oil on canvas titled “Meat Abstract 1” won Best in Show at the 12^th annual South Georgia College Art Invitational. His work was among those featured in an exhibit at the Albany Area Arts Council Carnegie Library in November. 

“Winning Best in Show was a pleasant surprise,” said the Valdosta State University junior who has called Valdosta home since 1998. “I haven’t entered many art competitions, and I’ve never placed before, so winning for a painting that represents my current body of work gives me a nice sense of validation.”

Steele, a self-described late bloomer, had a total of three works accepted into the South Georgia College Art Invitational, including a ceramic piece titled “Willie Vicarage” and a photograph titled “Bug on a Jar.” He is talented in many different art forms but prefers painting, particularly oil painting, at least for the moment.

“I suppose my dream job would be painting and getting paid enough for it to sustain myself,” said the son of Mark and Ada Steele. 

The South Georgia College Art Invitational annually features works created by art students at Albany State University, Darton State College, and Valdosta State University. It was conceived to allow college students to showcase and sell their art and to give them hands-on, professional experience with entering shows and displaying their work.

Entries were accepted in six categories — sculpture, ceramics, printmaking/graphic design, drawing, painting, and photography. VSU had a total of 30 works, five in each category, accepted into this year’s South Georgia College Art Invitational.

In addition to Steele’s Best in Show award, VSU won the following:

• First Place, Printmaking/Graphic Design, Anna Hardin, “Unrestricted Waters”

• First Place, Sculpture, Josh Taylor, “The Lamp and the Body”

• Second Place, Sculpture, Ashley Watkins, “Mend”

• First Place, Painting, Ashley Watkins, “Anxiety”

• Second Place, Painting, Andria Earp, “Chaos Has Come Again”

• Honorable Mention, Painting, Lucas Rocheleau, “Sexual Mores of the Digital Age”

• Honorable Mention, Drawing, Ashley Watkins, “Carpal”

• First Place, Ceramics, Alexandra Countryman, “Africa”

• Second Place, Ceramics, Leah Eunice, “Mort the Maggot”

• Honorable Mention, Ceramics, Goose Withner, Untitled

• Second Place, Photography, Hunter Pope,  Untitled

• Honorable Mention, Photography, Alan Sifuentes, “Pink Light Green Light”

On the Web:

http://www.valdosta.edu/colleges/arts/art/

http://www.albanyartscouncil.org

Valdosta State University’s 2013-2019 Strategic Plan represents a renewal of energy and commitment to the foundational principles for comprehensive institutions.

Implementation of the plan’s five goals, along with their accompanying objectives and strategies, supports VSU’s institutional mission and the University System of Georgia’s mission for comprehensive universities. 

The story above demonstrates VSU's commitment to meeting the following goals: 

Goal 1: Recruit, retain, and graduate a quality, diverse student population and prepare students for roles as leaders in a global society.

Goal 3: Promote student, employee, alumni, retiree, and community engagement in our mission.

Goal 4: Foster an environment of creativity and scholarship.

Visit http://www.valdosta.edu/administration/planning/strategic-plan.php to learn more.