By KAMBER HON
Three BYU students from the Art Department have not only gained recognition in Utah but have received national acclaim for their artwork.
Amy Barrett, a senior from Provo majoring in illustration; Jeffrey Merrill, a senior from Idaho Falls, Idaho, also majoring in illustration; and Norman Krantz, a junior from Honolulu, Hawaii, majoring in industrial design, won national awards in April for their ingenuity and creativity.
Each of these students entered and placed in different contests, all of which consisted of extensive competition from other universities and colleges, said Robert T. Barrett, associate chair of the Visual Arts Department.
Amy Barrett entered a competition sponsored by the Society of Illustrators in New York City. The Society of Illustrators is an art institution that has been offering art awards for over 100 years, Amy Barrett said.
The competition Amy entered consisted of almost 6,000 entries from various individuals. Only 81 entries received prizes.
Amy Barrett’s untitled acrylic painting was selected for The Starr Foundation Award, which includes a $500 cash award. The BYU Art Department also received a $500 grant from the award, Robert Barrett said.
Merrill won second place in this year’s Strathmore Portrait ’95 Illustration Contest. Strathmore Paper Company, which sponsored the contest, manufactures and sells art products throughout the nation, Robert Barrett said.
Stipulations of the contest included an original illustration on a Strathmore product surface. The illustration was to be a reflection of 1995.
Merrill’s second place award consisted of a $250 cash award. His illustration was selected from over 1,000 entries.
Krantz entered and won second place in the 1996 Tylenol/Arthritis Foundation Student Design Innovation Excellence Awards, said Douglas Stout, professor of the Visual Arts Department.
The competition stipulations required interested students to create a project that specifically helped arthritis patients in some way. Krantz designed a lock for doors that provides easy opening for patients, especially those suffering from extensive arthritis in their hands, said Douglas Stout, visual arts professor.
Krantz received a $500 cash award, a trophy, and a certificate for his design.
