Vision 2007 high school art exhibit to begin this month

The Southwestern Oregon Community College Foundation and Coos Art Museum are gearing up for Vision 2007, an annual high school art competition for students all over Southern Oregon.

In the competition, which opens on Feb. 23 and runs through April 17, 19 students will receive awards with the top three earning both cash-purchase awards and two-year tuition waivers to attend Southwestern. The Vision 2007 Awards Ceremony is scheduled at 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 23 at Coos Art Museum. Vision 2007 will be exhibited in the upstairs galleries at Coos Art Museum from Feb. 23 through April 21.

More than 100 works of art from 12 different high schools will be included, with students from Illinois Valley, Brookings-Harbor, Gold Beach, Douglas, Bandon, Coquille, Myrtle Point, Marshfield, North Bend, Reedsport, Yoncalla and Mapleton high schools participating.

“For over 15 years, Southwestern and Coos Art Museum have given high school art students an opportunity to present their works in an art museum environment,” said MJ Koreiva, executive director of the Coos Art Museum. “We are delighted to see the response from the regional high schools in what always turns out to be a showcase for emerging talent.”

Participating students, teachers and parents will spend Friday, Feb. 23, touring the Southwestern campus in Coos Bay, highlighting a lunch at Oregon Coast Culinary Institute and dessert demonstration by OCCI students. Southwestern has arranged for guided tours of the on-campus housing and new Rec Center, along with the theatre, art and music departments.

For more information about Coos Art Museum, those interested can call (541) 267-3901, toll free at (866) 526-4423 or e-mail info@coosart.org.

Press Release Date: February 13, 2007