2001 Irwin Scholars Honored

SANTA CRUZ, CA–It isn’t easy being an artist, especially in a culture that spews such a dizzying flood of sensory stimulation. More images, and sounds, and lines of copy gush from the electronic media on a given day than in all of recorded history before it was invented–most of it having little to do with anything more than product positioning. If there is any art in there, it is a daunting challenge to glean it from the surfiet of drek. Bad enough to be an established artist, worse still to be young and struggling. How in hell (no pun intended) can anyone be expected to find, much less appreciate, your work? Despair not, young artificer, the Irwin scholarships were created for you.

While there is no formal system for honoring excellence among art students at UCSC, the William Hyde and Susan Benteen Irwin Scholarships are considered recognition for the top 5 percent of art majors. The Irwin scholarship fund was established in 1986 through a gift from Susan Beteen Irwin in memory of her late husband, an artist and writer. When she died in 1990 the endowment totaled $500,000, which provides $2,500 scholarships annually to up to 13 students in visual arts. Students are nominated and selected by UCSC art faculty and scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit and need.

The 12 scholarships awarded this year reflect a wide variety of art-making approaches and philosophies and a wide range media, including lithography, print making, photography, painting, mixed media, installation, interactive work, and sculpture.

The 2001 Irwin Scholars are as follows: Ann Amica Alstatt, lithography and mixed media; Shannan Vaughn, printmaking; Sally Clark, photography; Justin Ray, photography; Roberto Carlos Mendez Soto, photography; Anastasie Martin, photography; Alison Lareau, painting; Katerina Margerita Lanfranco, painting and mixed media; Jason Guy, installations; Laird Rickard, interactive art and sculpture; Alex Cabunoc, sculpture and mixed media; and Sam Nieburg, painting.

How, and where, these young artists add their individual visions to the collective culture remains to be seen, but for now at least, they will have the opportunity to develop their talents thanks to the support of the Irwin scholarships.