The Indianapolis Art Center is currently displaying the 2007-08 Annual Student Show. It began on December 14th 2007 and runs until February 10th 2008, so head on over before you miss it! The show kicked off with an opening evening of food and fun and has continued to draw attendance throughout its display.

After all the hustle and bustle of the holiday, I am just now getting around to seeing these great works. All readers of this article should be advised that while I very much enjoy viewing and writing about art I am by no measure an actual art critic. I just like what I like.

I am very impressed by the works entered in the Youth Division of the show. I agreed with Juror Tania Wineglass-Graham who said of the entries, "some students not only learned a process and applied it, but they took their work to another level. Wow!"

I most appreciated the Youth's wow-factor in Paul Dugdale's "Untitled" (glass). At 16 he's even got that cool my-work-surpasses-the-need-for-a-title thing going for him. This glass bowl won the Best of Show in the Youth Division and his "Morning Dew" piece earned him the Best in Age 14 - 18 Award as well.

Rich Alderfer's "Cherry & Fence Conflict" won the Northwest Lumber Award. A tangle of wood and wire, both elements looked as if they could have come away saying, "You should see the other guy." In other woods, "Music Box" by Richard Bodi won the Best of Wood Award. And while I'm a bit confused by the title of this colorful top table, I still love its visual (and functional) appeal.

Winning the Lisa Jackson and Tom Laird Award for 3-D Artwork was "Organics" by Ray Marquette. This play-full mixed media coffee table needn't be adorned with a conversational book. I was tickled by its seamlessly suspended set of ivories; so much so that my own piano might want to run and hide.

Brock Cagann's work, also "Untitled" (Oil on Canvas), caught my eye with it's unique coloring. Upon first look I expected the piece to be an enlarged black and white photograph with edited in touches of color. But upon closer examination I saw the whole picture; a person painted with prismatic highlights.

My personal pick was Christina M. O'Connell's sterling silver "Spirit House Necklace." It was beautifully simple yet wildly imaginative. While it took home the Best of Adult Division Award at the Intermediate level, I wanted to take it home.

Be sure to visit the show before it closes on February 10th. Check out the Art Center's website at www.indianapolisartcenter.org for information on this exhibit and those upcoming.