MSUFCU showcases student art

Artwork from students of 18 Michigan area high schools is on display through February at the 11th Annual MSUFCU Student Art Exhibit at the MSUFCU Headquarters in East Lansing.

The exhibit features more than 180 pieces of original artwork, including paintings, sketches, 3D pieces, photography, animation and art.

“We have been partnering with these schools for many years,” said Whitney Anderson-Harrell, the chief community development officer for the credit union. “We’re really excited to have all the high school artists and the community come out.”

It’s also her first time experiencing the student art exhibit. “This is just an awesome event,” said Anderson-Harrell. “I’m really excited to see all of the different art pieces and I really love seeing the different sculptures.”

The watercolor and sharpie piece, “Monster in the Water,” was created by 12th-grader Nicholas File of Lansing’s Everett High School. He practiced the different techniques by drawing anime. “At first it was very hard to draw, later I actually got better,” said File. “After I’m done mastering this technique, I want to master some other ones I’m unfamiliar with.”

Imagination inspired his watercolor and sharpie project, but he now sees a missed opportunity. “For one, I could have done better with the background. All black probably wasn’t the best choice, because the value doesn’t match it,” File said.

Even though he received many compliments for his artwork, File still likes to push himself a little bit further.

Xavier Bodary, a 12th-grade student at Okemos High School, has two pieces in this year’s exhibition. One is a photograph and the other a digital ink drawing piece.

The photograph was taken when he was hanging out with a friend.

“My friend and I played football since we were in seventh grade together. One day we were going out and I asked if I could take a couple pictures of him, just kind of playing around,” Bodary said. “I got another friend to throw the ball around a little bit, and we did some action photography.”

Bodary calls his drawing more of a “fantasy piece.” He made a sharpie outline of two hands, and then used Photoshop to make it appear as if it is hanging of the cliff side.

“I’m really into cross-hatching, so with the sharpie pieces that I do, I usually do original outlines,” Bodary said. “With the digital background I used a regular tablet. I kind of drew in all the background and did all of the shading and line work in that program.”

Bodary has dabbled in photography since the sixth grade. “I’ve done it for a really long time, I absolutely love it,” he said.

Awards of the Exhibit include: Juried Awards, The Social Media Award, The People’s Choice Awards and the School Spirit Award.

MSUFCU Student Art Exhibit

Now through Feb. 28 MSUFCU Headquarters, 3777 West Road, East Lansing. 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday