The art department’s Juried Student Exhibition and Senior Exhibition will begin on May 8 in the Juanita Harvey Art Gallery. An opening reception will precede the exhibitions followed by the juried and senior students showcases.

The Juried Student Exhibition is a student competition open to anyone, where the participants submit up to five pieces for evaluation.

“An outside juror will come to campus from Dallas and judge the work of each student,” said Gary Goldberg, gallery director. “About 300 pieces are submitted, and about 100 get into the exhibition on average.”

Senior Exhibition is the capstone class of the Bachelor of Fine Arts art program, and the exhibition is the final outcome of the semester.

“Each senior will need to produce a one person show,” Goldberg said. “This usually means a body of work that consists of 10-15 pieces. This exhibition is the end result of what they’ve been working towards all semester in the class.”

Katie LaForge, graphic design senior, will be one of the students showcasing their work.

“I’m really nervous, and I’ve been haunted by it for the last couple semesters,” LaForge said. “I’ve been conceptualizing the event for awhile. I’ll have to explain the work and then take any questions from the faculty and students that are in attendance. Our resumes and artist statements will be next to our pieces, so the exhibition part is really important.”

Corbin Whan, engineer junior, said he often visits the art gallery with his girlfriend to see if there is anything new.

“My girlfriend has sometimes considered being an art major,” Whan said. “I think the Senior Exhibition could be an indication of what she would be in for. It’s always good to know what to expect from the field you’re going into.”

The reception starts at 6 p.m. Friday, May 8, in the Juanita Harvey Art Gallery at MSU. Both exhibitions will run through June 23.