Gentlemen, start your . paintbrushes and chisels?

The reception for “Rev it Up,” an exhibition and art contest hosted by the School of Art Gallery, was held Friday. Students from all areas of art study, both graduate and undergraduate, were invited to participate in the show.

The exhibition will be on display on the first floor of the Art Building until March 22. It features a variety of disciplines: glassblowing, painting, textiles, metalwork, sculpture and ceramics, among others.

“I like the variety of medium,” said attendee Robin Haller, assistant professor for the School of Art. “The pieces are very interesting this year – there is a lot to look at.”

“The quality of work is of a very high caliber this year.”

About 50 students, faculty and members of the Kent community attended the reception, where the winners of the contest were announced in two categories: graduate and undergraduate.

Best of Show in the graduate category went to Davin E. Banks for his glasswork, titled “‘The Antilles Current, Parted.’ Meridian’s 80 Degrees West.”

The first part of the work is a corked vial of oil placed between what resembles angel wings, and the second part has four vials hanging above a simulated animal skull.

Graduate student Anthony Bartholomew was first runner-up for his two-part woodcut sculpture, “The Red Swing, the Ladder,” and second runner-up went to Nathan Nardi for his series of painted glass sculptures, titled “Form Study ’07.”

Joshua Parker won the undergraduate category with his rubber sculpture, “Once More into the Breach, Dear Friend.”

Undergraduate first runner-up went to Nicole Haney for her painting, “Untitled,” and Emily McMahon won second runner-up with her textile work, “At Sea.”

The prizes were gift certificates for All Media Art Supply and an iPod Shuffle provided by the KSU Apple Store, said Joy Armstrong, art history graduate student and gallery worker.

“The first and second runners-up were given cash prizes,” she said.

Anderson Turner, director of galleries for the School of Art, said he doesn’t play favorites and was proud of every work at the show.

“I just like it when they participate,” Turner said, shortly before he announced the winners.

Other pieces included:

– Andrew Savian’s creation, “Stop” – a faux stop sign, cut up and hinged back together to make it valley and peak in three dimensions.

– Lucas French’s “For Those Who Like to Shop Awkwardly” – a 7-foot tall, 1-foot wide shopping cart.

– Kate Denslow’s metalwork sculpture, “Lost in Neverland” – a copper bag for marbles with a leather drawstring bearing the inscription: “Second star to the right and straight on till morning.” -Toodles (a character from Peter Pan).

Bob Schultz, graduate ceramics student and one of the artists whose work is displayed, said that the exhibit “shows a lot of variety in what people are doing.”

“I love the theme, it reminds me of a birthday party,” Schultz said. “Most art people are stuffy with their cheese and wine.”

The School of Art Gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, call the gallery office at 672-7853.

Contact College of Architecture and Environmental Design, and College of the Arts reporter Tim Jacobs at [email protected].