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The FOCUS Show is Highlighting High School Artists from Around the Area
The FOCUS Show Awards Ceremony is coming to Bowling Green State University (BGSU) on Sept. 3, highlighting regional high school students’ pieces of artwork.
On Sept. 3 at 6 p.m., at the Donnell Theatre at the Wolfe Center for the Arts on BGSU’s campus, guests can see awards given to the best of the student artists.
After the awards ceremony, guests are encouraged to view all 302 pieces in the competition in the Dorothy Uber Bryant Gallery in the Fine Arts Center.
“[The show has] been happening since 1971 and the reason is we really want to give students an experience to be able to exhibit their artwork in a professional setting. We see that a lot of students really engage at these shows with the university professors and the local community artists,” said Jennifer Moorman, director of the FOCUS Show.
Each year, the show flips between being hosted at BGSU or the University of Toledo, each representing the Greater Northwest Ohio area.
At this year’s show, 19 high schools from around the area are represented:
- Anthony Wayne High School
- Bowling Green High School
- Bowsher High School
- Bryan High School
- Eastwood High School
- Fremont Ross High School
- Hopewell-Loudon High School
- Lake High School
- Maumee Valley Country Day School
- Notre Dame Academy
- Ottawa Hills High School
- Perrysburg High School
- Rogers High School
- St. Ursula Academy
- Sylvania Northview High School
- Sylvania Southview High School
- Toledo School for the Arts
- Whitmer High School
- Woodmore High School
With so many pieces of art entered, there are also different categories. One local student artist will win a juried award in each category, including:
- Painting
- Ceramics
- Sculpture
- Cyber Art
- Print Making
- Digital Photography
- Fiber Arts
- Film Photography
- Drawing
- Mixed Media
- Commercial Art
- Jewelry
- Glass Art
Outside of the juried awards are awards presented by some of the sponsors of the show.
“The Athena Art Society has been giving awards away since the beginning, the Toledo Museum of Art gives scholarships and then the Toledo Arts Commission as well. American Frame… has been giving the students and teachers a discount on frames since 1971 and they still are committed to doing that with the FOCUS Show as well,” Moorman said. “The Tile Club gives an award and also River Gallery Studio, so Dean Davis is giving an award as well and Handmade Toledo. This year, we have Anne Tubbs and Julie Madden picking an award for our social justice.”
Moorman recommends going to the show even if you don’t personally know a student who has entered because the art world is a “community” in itself.
“It’s a lovely evening of seeing the arts, being kind of amongst the arts community and seeing how these kids can really shine… If you go to any art shw, it’s always a beautiful eclectic crowd of people and so it’s a wonderful night to celebrate the arts,” Moorman said.
For more information on attending the FOCUS Show, go to its Facebook page at The FOCUS Show.
