The transformation of mere materials to artwork is something art students accomplish almost daily. The Annual Student Art Show gives them the chance to have their works juried by professionals and displayed in the Sheppard Fine Arts Gallery. The exhibition is displayed in the Sheppard Fine Arts Gallery until Friday, April 27 and includes paintings, photography, sculpture and digital media.

The artwork was juried on Friday April 20, by Tim Griffin, editor of the art magazine Art Forum, and Johanna Burton, an art writer and critic. After viewing the 150 submissions, Griffin and Burton recognized a recurring theme. They selected and set up 38 pieces of art that they believed best emulated that theme: pop art through repetition.

"This is what they saw in the work, as well as an interest of theirs," said Marjorie Vecchio, director of the Sheppard Fine Arts Gallery.

The jurors also present the 32 artists Best of Show Awards, which include $250 cash prizes. Caedron Burchfield, Jonathan Farber, Claire Horowitz and Zachary Porter received the Best of show award for their works. Anthony Alston, Eric Beattie and Christine Lan received an Honorable Mention.

A reception and a lecture followed the selection and installation of the artwork, when the selected art students were able to receive feedback from the jurors.

The selected artists range from art students of different specialties, from undergraduate students in painting to graduating students in sculpture. The art show exhibits the diversity of the art department, according to Vecchio.

"We had an eclectic group this year," Vecchio said. "It wasn't just the same old gang of students who contribute yearly. This exhibition represents all corners of the art department."

The art show gives the students an opportunity to have their work juried by professionals in the field and sell their artwork, an idea they may have never considered, said Kristina Lyons, president of the Art Club.

"It's a good way for students to show their work," Lyons said. "We bring in phenomenal art critics to curate their work and interact with the students. You just can't do that everyday."

Lyons said another unexpected result of the art show is the cohesion it brought to the students of the department.

"I feel that more students were involved," Lyons said. "Many of them volunteered and that made the student body more cohesive than I've ever seen it."