Oxnard College student Danny Lawlor won 1st Place and an $800 scholarship in Buenaventura Art Association’s 7th Annual Collegiate Student Art Competition for his oil pastel painting, “Gold Coast Transit”. The award was announced at a reception for the competition and art exhibit at the Association’s Harbor Village Gallery on Friday March 15, 2013.

2nd Place and a $600 scholarship went to Linda Kennon of Ventura College for her graphite on burned paper work, “Bad Little Robot”. Rylann Smith, student at Cal State University Channel Islands, won 3rd Place and a $350 scholarship for her graphite on paper piece, “Eyeris”.

Honorable Mention and $250 gift certificates to Dick Blick Art Materials went to Eli Suzuki-Gill (Ventura College); Kyle Sallee (Ventura College); Donna Espinoza (Oxnard College); Donna’s sister Stephanie Espinoza (Oxnard College) and Emily Rubin (CSUCI). All winners also received a one-year membership to Buenaventura Art Association with free entry fees and no required volunteer time.

In addition, Dustin Sherron, Jessica Porter (CSUCI), Elham Omidvar, Aide Sandoval (Oxnard College), Dylan Gasaway, Shabnam Farahani (Ventura College), Cheyenne Summers, Chrystal Kuper (Moorpark College), and Makenzie Goodman (Brooks Institute) all won Merit Awards and a membership to Buenaventura Art Association.

The juror for the competition was Bob Privitt, professor emeritus and former chair of the art department at Pepperdine University. Privitt’s humor, after a 40-year career teaching art at the college and university level, put the students at ease as they nervously waited for the award results. In a short talk before the award announcements, Privitt advised, only half-jokingly, that students “stay away from art teachers.” He reminded students to follow their own artistic paths after accepting or rejecting the counsel of others.

Sponsors of the competition were the Stanley & Jessica Prescott Trust, Scripps Howard Foundation, and E.J. Harrison & Sons, Inc.

The exhibit of student art, including all of the award winners, continues until April 15, 2013 at the Harbor Village Gallery, 1591 Spinnaker Dr , Suite 117C, (before the big lawn) Ventura. Phone: (805) 644 – 2750. Hours: noon – 6pm. Closed Tuesday.