Mr. Voertman

The Annual Juried Voertman Student Art Competition and Exhibition were started in 1960 by philanthropist and patron of art and music Paul R. Voertman (1929–2017), who loved art, music and UNT. In 2009, he was recognized with the UNT Outstanding Alumnus Award. Initially, this was a competition for Paul to purchase works for the university and later provided funding for a purchase prize. The Paul Voertman Gallery in the UNT Art Building was named in his honor in 2017. Paul's vision and generosity have positively impacted hundreds of young artists.

Our Juror: Emmy Bright

For each competition, the gallery invites a recognized juror who brings intellect, vision and care to the competition. This year's juror Emmy Bright is no exception. Bright’s exhibition "It Gets Better or It Doesn’t" will open at the CVAD Gallery on March 21 and is complemented by a UNT Fine Art Series Special Performance and Collective Karaoke on March 24, 7 p.m., in the Art Building Courtyard.

Emmy Bright works with drawing, writing, print and performance to investigate the problems of connection and the problems of boundaries. She earned a B.A. in Art History from the University of Chicago, an M.Ed. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and an M.F.A. in Print Media from Cranbrook Academy of Art where she currently works as an artist in residence and the head of the Print Media Department. Bright lives in Detroit where the David Klein Gallery represents her work.

Atinuke Adeleke
graduate student, Metalsmithing and Jewelry

Lauren Allen
graduate student, Photography

Lauren Barbee
undergraduate student, pre-major

Stitch Blatz
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

Kristin Boyer
graduate student, Printmaking

Xavier Estelle Byrdle
undergraduate student, Printmaking

Vanessa Carrera, Honorable Mention
undergraduate student, Printmaking

Carter Cordes
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

Isabella Craig
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

MCAT Davis
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

Benjamin Folsom
undergraduate, Drawing and Painting

Chenxi Gao, Honorable Mention
graduate student, Printmaking

Jason Garrett
undergraduate, Sculpture

Amanda Green
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

Alexander Gonzalez, Honorable Mention
undergraduate student, Printmaking

James Griffith
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

Margaret Heller
undergraduate student, Photography

Peter Hensley
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

Madeline Herrera, First Place, $1200 prize
graduate student, Printmaking

Aaron Hollingsworth
graduate student, Drawing and Painting

Jalon Isabell, Third Place, $800 prize
undergraduate student, Printmaking

Syanne Johnson
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

Archit Karkare
undergraduate student, Sculpture

Shelby Lancaster, Honorable Mention
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

Somalia Longoria, Honorable Mention
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

Haidyn McKenzie, Honorable Mention
undergraduate student, Photography

Jenkins McAlister
undergraduate student, Printmaking

Callie Moore, Honorable Mention
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

Gwen Olmos
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

Sarah Nicolaysen
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

Karina Ramirez, Second Place, $1000 prize
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

Paige Richard
undergraduate student, Art Education

Diana Rojas-Ponce, Honorable Mention
graduate student, New Media Art

Joseph Schuler
undergraduate, Drawing and Painting

Claire Scott, Honorable Mention
undergraduate student, Photography

Madison Scott
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

Ainsley Smith
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

Jae-Eun Suh
graduate student, New Media Art

Haley Villareal
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

Jacob Virgin
undergraduate student, Photography

Ryenn Will
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

Danielle Williams, Honorable Mention
undergraduate student, Drawing and Painting

Isaac Wingard
undergraduate student, Printmaking