Alfredo Melendez of Oak Lawn is honored at the President's Seventh Annual Art Show

2015 Feb 19

Lewis University students and alumni is currently on display in the President's Seventh Annual Art Exhibition at the Brent and Jean Wadsworth Family Gallery, located on the university's main campus in Romeoville. "Touge," "Predators," "Unititled Black and White" and "Midnight Fog" are displayed using digital graphic, oil and pen on canvas, photograph and vector art (digital drawing) by Oak Lawn resident Alfredo Melendez. The exhibit, free and available to the public, will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily until Thursday, Feb. 26.

The juried exhibition is hosted by the Department of Art and Design and sponsored by Brother James Gaffney, FSC, President of Lewis University. This year's exhibit features 81 pieces of artwork.

"Each student brings his or her own talents, personal histories and artistic goals to produce artwork that is unique and quite engaging. This annual competition is an impressive display by our students of their creative art pieces," commented Brother James Gaffney, FSC.

Eleven students received a total of $1,000 in awards for their exhibits in the show. Larissa Barnat won first place for "Coffee Break," Nicole Nellen took second place for "Rusty Rightover," and Monika Mlynarczyk placed third with "Self Portrait." Winning Honorable Mention Awards were students David Almazan, Larissa Barnat, Megan Chaffee, Catherine Kelly, Alfredo Melendez, Zachary Meredith, Kevin Neitzel and Sandra Zuchara.

The Wadsworth Family Gallery is located in the Oremus Fine Arts Center at Lewis University. The Department of Art and Design manages the gallery events, which include Lewis University student shows, local and regional artist shows, annual high school exhibits, faculty shows, academic based exhibitions and cultural and religious based art shows. More information is available about the Art Gallery and exhibits by contacting Natalie Swain, Art Gallery coordinator, at swainna@lewisu.edu.

Lewis University is a Catholic university in the Lasallian tradition offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 6,700 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares intellectually engaged, ethically grounded, globally connected, and socially responsible graduates. The seventh largest private not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. Visit www.lewisu.edu for further information.