Student members of the Santa Fe Artists’ Guild and Photography Club visited Ringling College of Art & Design in Sarasota January 23-24, 2016, to attend National Portfolio Day.
For visual artists, the portfolio functions as a snapshot of what the artist can do; it includes creations in different media that demonstrate talent, skills and hard work. Hosted by members of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), National Portfolio Day gave students the opportunity to meet with Ringling faculty as well as with representatives of 40 other NASAD-accredited colleges. All students had their work reviewed and critiqued and three students had their portfolios accepted and received scholarship or partial funding offers.
Visual Arts Department faculty members Valerie Aslakson-Jennings and Stacey Breheny, the advisor to the Artists’ Guild, accompanied the students along with Santa Fe Gallery Manager Kyle Novak.
“This trip is a great opportunity for students to receive feedback and portfolio development advice from the very people who will be looking at their future applications,” Breheny explained.
Thirteen students made the trip. Jesse Davilla, Jemerine de Pena and Kristen Valle were offered admission to art schools as well as possible scholarships. Other students who attended were: Greg Baldwin; Ana Curbelo; Eliza Goldstein; Hunter Hyland; “Josh” Tristan Martinez; Isabelle Rivera; Jonathon Sardja; Paul Thompson; Erin Yonke; and Joseph Woods.
“The students always seem to have a great time and get a lot out of the experience,” Novak said. “In addition to participating in the portfolio review, we visited the Ringling Museum of Art and the Ringling Estate. An added bonus is that the hotel we stayed in is on the beach. The trip was definitely a success!”
The trip to the portfolio review is an annual event for the Santa Fe Artists’ Guild, a student club funded through Student Life by student activity fees. Members of the Guild have painted and installed a ceiling mural for St. Francis House in Gainesville; they also participate in other activities throughout the year, including the SF College Spring Arts Festival. The guild maintains a Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/gallereans/
For more information about the trip and the Santa Fe Artists’ Guild, email Stacey Breheny at stacey.breheny@sfcollege.edu.
For more information about the SF College Fine Arts Department, call Alora Haynes at 352-395-5296.