Master pieces
Putting together huge events at the university requires many hands
By Summer Skinner

The artwork of close to 1,600 Texas high school students, chosen from more than 16,000 entries, was on display at UHCL during the state Visual Art Scholastic Event. Roma High School student Jasmin Aleman, top right, worked with clay for the first time during a VASE workshop. Students were limited to using oil pastels in yellow, white and blue to create self portraits, bottom middle, during the scholarship competition. Nine colleges and design schools sent representatives to VASE to provide portfolio critiques and recruit students. Seabrook Mayor Robin Riley, bottom, second from left, browsed the display of student artwork.

Like most teens, 18-year-old Jasmin Aleman likes sleeping late. But on one Friday in April, Aleman and 15 of her fellow art classmates had no problem waking up at 4 a.m. That morning, they boarded a bus before sunrise to make the seven-hour trip to the Texas Art Education Association’s Visual Art Scholastic Event at UHCL. They had been anticipating their trip to the annual statewide event for the past year.

As a home for ideas and inspiration, universities are often magical places, their atmospheres charged with possibility. UHCL is home to many extraordinary events, often made possible by partnerships that have far-reaching effects. For Aleman and her classmates, the 386-mile journey from Roma, in
Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, to UHCL broadened their understanding of themselves and of the world beyond their small town.

Since 2000, the state level of TAEA’s VASE, the largest high school art competition in Texas, has been held at UHCL. The gathering of Texas’ best high school artists fuels creative expression with an art exhibit that fills the Bayou Building’s three levels and art workshops in drawing, painting, pottery, jewelry making, metal forging, photography and a variety of mixed media techniques. Scholarship competitions, guest artist demonstrations, and student portfolio reviews are also part of the students’ experience.

“I attended a workshop where I worked with mixed media, which included watercolors, ink and pieces of paper,” says Aleman. “After that, I also attended a workshop where I got to play with clay and make pots for the first time. It was amazing. My favorite part was when I had the opportunity to view all the other art students’ art.”

This year, close to 1,400 students attended State VASE. They were chosen from more than 16,000 students who submitted artwork at 20 regional VASE competitions throughout Texas. Aleman’s art teacher, Monica Gillette, says VASE competitions are a highlight for her students.

“A competition is a great motivator, especially when it means a trip to Houston. The students get so excited about the trip. It is something that they really look forward to.” Joey Doyle, state director for VASE, sees the students’ visit to a university campus for an event like VASE as a turning point.

“When a university opens its doors to individuals who are not and may never be enrolled in that institution, it is fostering hope and building belief. Those who believe they cannot be successful at the college level begin to believe more in themselves,” he says. “Simply by providing an invitation to come inside, UHCL is developing the belief that, ‘maybe I can do this.’”

When VASE students arrived at UHCL this year, they were greeted by internationally recognized street artist Melanie Stimmell working with chalk on a 12-foot by 12-foot canvas under a tent.

In addition to the many workshops, the scholarship art competition remained a favorite among the students. Budding artists received one black, 11-inch by 14-inch card, a mirror and three oil pastels in blue, yellow and white. VASE officials told participants to create a self-portrait and “fill the space with an interesting composition.”

As the self-portraits took shape over the course of the 90-minute session, no two were alike. Some students drew only part of the face, while some made their images part of a larger landscape. The traditional full-face portraits exhibited a variety of angles, pastel-blending techniques and background treatments.

While students ate lunch, judges scored the self-portraits and chose winners to receive scholarship awards that afternoon.

Finding 49 workshop presenters can be a challenge for TAEA, but UHCL art faculty members, such as UHCL Professor of Fine Arts Sandria Hu, are happy to help.

“The motivation and interest of UHCL to support VASE translates into many adjunct faculty members and graduate students who choose to provide workshops for VASE,” says Hu.

Workshops, supplies, space and support at VASE add up to more than $20,000 for the event. In 2007, UHCL and TAEA were given a major boost when a new partner, the City of Seabrook, joined them and donated $15,000. Seabrook’s gift speaks volumes about the city’s dedication to the arts and to university life at UHCL.

“Art is part of the beauty in the world,” says Seabrook Mayor Robin Riley. “The City of Seabrook is in tune with the beauty of nature and the environment. That is why we have a sister city relationship with the Galapagos Islands and were the first city in the entire southeast quadrant of the United States to have curbside recycling that included apartments. Seabrook sees the value of art in the community and how important it is to nurture and encourage it to grow. All too often art is merely put on the back burner and ignored. Seabrook welcomes the opportunity to promote art throughout the great state of Texas and looks forward to continuing our support for years to come.”

Part of Seabrook’s gift was used to sponsor three visiting artists: international artist Jaly Vasquez from Argentina, Wayne Miyamoto from Hilo, Hawaii, and Robert Parker from Brenham, Texas. All three conducted workshops with high school students. Miyamoto and Parker also conducted workshops for the Seabrook community later in the week.

Hu, who organized the visiting artists’ participation, passionately advocates bringing many viewpoints to the learning experience.

“I like to provide a broad overview of art on the international level,” she says. “To expose students and faculty to a variety of creative techniques is part of the academic mission. The exchange of ideas is what keeps programs growing, students growing and the faculty growing.” This exchange also keeps dreams growing. The partnership formed by TAEA, the City of Seabrook and UHCL created a chain of positive experiences for the students who attended.

“Most of these students never travel out of the Valley,” Gillette says of t6he group she brought from Roma. “The trip to VASE is a great way to see the state of Texas and to meet students of their caliber. The whole trip really inspires them.”

While in Houston, the Roma group visited the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Sharing a hotel room with her best friend, Aleman got her first glimmer of college life.

“Staying with my best friend in a hotel without our families was some experience,” she says. “It was like we were living the whole college roommate thing; it was so much fun. I’ve never really traveled without my family that much before, but this time it was fun without them around, though I may have missed them just a little bit. But I got through it.”

To learn more about UHCL events or to inquire about reserving campus facilities, visit www.uhcl.edu/community.