By Jecko Arreglo
At the end of the 2025 spring semester, FCC’s Visual Arts Department will be hosting the Art Student Juried Show from May 12th to June 4th to showcase the campus’ wide array of artistic talent.
Arts Center Director Professor Wendell Poindexter has taught at FCC for the past 36 years. As a veteran in his craft, his current personal projects include oil and canvas, portraits, figure work, and experimenting with touches of surrealism. As a professor, he teaches courses in drawing and illustration. He detailed the art selection process for the show and what one might expect at the opening presentation.
First and foremost, he went through the portfolios students had submitted throughout the semester and selected what he thought were the strongest and most complete pieces. Afterwards, the selected pieces were laid out in the studio and numbered, with three or four pieces chosen by students to represent the class as a whole.
“You know I kind of tease [the students] a little bit,” Poindexter said. “This is not just voting for your friend. I want you to really be thoughtful and assess the work. Think about the projects, how well the student solved those projects [such as] technique, composition…[those things] to consider as they look at the work.”
Poindexter stated that a similar process extends to studio classes in the art department: a faculty member chooses the strongest pieces and students vote with their best judgement. Overall, there will be 11 categories during the show, including photography and even graphic design.
“As a teacher, a long time ago, I didn’t want a student coming up to me and saying, ‘Well, all semester I could see you’re playing favoritism and that’s the reason why Joe Smith got in and I didn’t,’ Poindexter said. “They pick the work. We kind of wash our hands off it.”
The art is judged by a professional artist invited from the local Frederick area. The judge is typically successful in their field, makes a living with their craft, and has received a higher education in the arts. This judge gives first, second, and third places to each category, which the show calls “The Judge’s Choice.”
During the art presentation, which formally begins at 11:45 am on May 12th, Professor Poindexter welcomes the attendees, including friends and families, and proceeds through the categories.
The winner, runner-up, and third place will be decided for each category and when a student hears their name, they come up to the podium to receive a certificate of congratulations with this year’s prize money, funded by the Frederick County Arts Association (FCAA).
“That show is a hump, man. But it’s a good one. It rivals graduation, and I’m one of the few faculty who likes graduation, just seeing students have that moment with their work on the wall…and with their parents! More so than the [students] really. They’re really beaming and everybody’s taking pictures and seeing their work professionally put together matted and framed on the wall. So that’s really fun.”
In total, the number of pieces for the show is expected to be around one hundred. The show will be in the gallery, close to the entrance of the Visual and Performing Arts Center, and some pieces will also be displayed in the hallways.
