By Katlin Cilliers | Staff Writer

On the right: “Just a touch of Insanity,” was one of the sculpture pieces featured and was made by Jade Enomoto, an Art 116 student.

From April 26 to May 9, Koa Gallery is hosting its annual Student Show, which features artworks by KCC students from different class levels. Every spring, toward the end of the semester, a collection of works colors the gallery’s walls to celebrate students’ productions from previous semesters. Among the pieces of this year were sketches, drawings, oil paintings and sculptures.

To Alina Kawai, the gallery’s manager, one of the challenging aspects of putting the show together was to ensure that the logistics and arrangements were all accurate, with the items’ names and pieces. Finding and arranging the nearly 200 pieces were also part of the project. From this year’s selection, Kawai particularly enjoyed the figure drawing works. “There’s spontaneity to it, and like, the real loose ones that I know those warm up into the longer poses, those are really nice,” said Kawai.

Kawai explained that in order to get selected, students must reach out to their professors and work with them to get approval of the work.

Students and art enthusiasts roamed around the venue in this afternoon’s opening reception. Brazilian art student Natalia Lukey was among the students who had their pieces selected by their instructors to be featured in the show. To Lukey, a painting or piece of art becomes more meaningful the more abstract it is, because it represents its creator’s mind and soul.

“The more art attracts your attention and keeps you engaged, the higher it has aesthetic value, even therapeutic value. It takes you to a different place,” Lukey said.

“Untitled,” by Natália Lukey, is an oil on canvas inspired by scenic views in Russia, where the artist lived.

Her piece, an oil on canvas named “Untitled,” took about four weeks to be completed and was inspired by a view in Russia, where she has lived and studied. She says that her piece – an oil on canvas painting of a scenic path – implies transition and was inspired by impressionism.

Student artist Leon Park was also celebrating having her artwork exhibited on the walls of Koa Gallery. Her paintings evolved from the concrete views of a forest to an abstract oil on canvas, with abundant shades of orange and green in its composition.

“This is a doorway to my mind. It’s in my mind,” Park said.