Art Student Annual 2026
Annual exhibit celebrates the creative achievements of Clark’s art students
On May 21, the doors of Archer Gallery opened for the Art Student Annual opening reception. Visitors poured into the bright space as student artists eagerly showed their work to family and friends. The walls and pedestals displayed a variety of expertly arranged art forms, including paintings, drawings, ceramics, digital art, photography, comics, and metalwork.
Student Meilani Schille (pictured below) explained that her painting, Moongate, was created for her Asian Art History class and was inspired by her Chinese heritage. She drew imagery from the foliage and structures she saw at the Chinese Gardens in Portland and incorporated the tiger (her Chinese Zodiac animal) and her love of chickens into the scene.
“The idea in Chinese gardens is that you’re looking through a window into another world,” Meilani explained. Moongate placed 2nd in the painting category.
Many of this year’s pieces focused on hands — an appropriate theme for a celebration of the work these artists created with their own hands.
Every piece in the show went through a rigorous process to be selected from the 260 submissions the gallery saw this year. The awards were chosen by Nan Curtis, Archer Gallery’s artist-in-residence.
Congratulations to this year’s winners and the students featured in this year’s show!
Best in Ceramics: Guardian of Hope Masha Yaremenko (pictured below)
Best in Drawing: Girl on Swing by Dina Skylarov
Best in Print: Editorial Buzz by Aria Liseckas
Best in Graphic Design: Momentum by Rocky Brown
Best in Comics: Nova Trace by Faith Pettitt
Best in Painting: Exposure After William Rochfort by Anne Marie Lusardi
Best in Metals: Ghost of Silicone Past by Joe Zieman
Best in Photo: Legos and Sunburn by Benjamin Ignacio
Best in Darkroom Photo: Self-Portrait of a Mother by Maurie Smith
Most Risks Taken: Skin Moments by Evan English (pictured below)
Best in Show: Bebe (Pear Stomach) by Hannah Park (pictured below)
Plan Your Visit to the Exhibit
The Art Student Annual Exhibit is open for viewing through June 18. For more information and the complete list of this year’s participants, visit the Archer Gallery website.
About Archer Gallery
Located on Clark’s main campus, Archer Gallery serves the students and community by exhibiting contemporary art in a not-for-profit educational setting. Archer Gallery exhibits work by nationally and internationally renowned artists and connects the Clark College community with accessible and diverse perspectives from the contemporary art world. Learn more on the Archer Gallery website.
Photos: Clark College/Malena Goerl
Story by Malena Goerl, Staff Writer, Communications and Marketing