Art students have the opportunity to have their art work on display for SAE, Student Art Exhibition and were given awards.

The opening exhibition and awards ceremony was from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m on Monday

The gallery showcases artwork created by students and features pieces developed by using a number of different mediums including ceramics, photography and paintings.

Guest get a chance to get an up-close look at all the artwork that was selected for display.

The crowd was a mixture of contributing artists, their family members, friends, school faculty and many students.

Business Administration major Dehlia Venzor took time after school to visit the gallery and was fixed on a piece, titled, “Martyring by the Masses.”

“The piece is very raw-looking and the colors evoke a sense of frustration but its also passionate with the blue colors,” Venzor said.

Artwork lined the walls and ceramics were displayed on pillars throughout the main gallery while another room featured a mixed media piece that incorporated video projection.

Guests were escorted to the courtyard, just outside the gallery where the awards presentation took place, with art Professor James MacDevitt hosting the event.

There were five categories in which artwork was judged by guest juror Devon Tsuno, a Los Angeles born artist, curator and educator whose own work is on display in Japan as well as in the states.

Full-time art instructors selected art works from 12 artists while part time instructors selected four pieces to enter into the judging categories.

Art instructor Hagop Najarian, Art and Design department chair, explained why it is important for students to be acknowledged for their work.

“The awards are actually very secondary. I think for most of the students the recognition and acknowledgmentfrom their peers and family members is the biggest compliment,” Najarian said.

Each category had first, second and third place awards as well as honorable mentions.

Top winners received cash prizes with their awards.

Art major Ed Zimmerman won an honorable mention for a ceramic dish he created and a $165 cash prize, which he says will go toward purchasing more art materials and supplies.

Zimmerman worked with ceramics for sixteen years and explains some of the other benefits of being acknowledged for his artwork.

“I think that I’m on the right track and this just re-enforces that when other people see and appreciate what I have been able to come up with,” Zimmerman said.

Gallery hours and other information can be found at www.cerritosgallery.com.