Lennear takes Best of Show for mixed-media drawing

Cumberland University School of Music & the Arts recently announced the winners of the 14th Annual FOCUS Student Art Competition during a reception in the Adams Gallery of the June & Bill Heydel Fine Arts Center.

CU freshman Tori Lennear, of Lebanon, claimed the Best of Show award for her mixed-media drawing, “Inside Myself.” Rome, Ga. native Brent Culbreth, a senior at CU, took second place honors for his mixed-media painting, “Walls Between.” Shauna Holman, also a senior, claimed third prize for her digital photograph, “Bella.” Holman is a native of Donelson.

Lennear takes Best of Show for mixed-media drawing

Cumberland University School of Music & the Arts recently announced the winners of the 14th Annual FOCUS Student Art Competition during a reception in the Adams Gallery of the June & Bill Heydel Fine Arts Center.

CU freshman Tori Lennear, of Lebanon, claimed the Best of Show award for her mixed-media drawing, “Inside Myself.” Rome, Ga. native Brent Culbreth, a senior at CU, took second place honors for his mixed-media painting, “Walls Between.” Shauna Holman, also a senior, claimed third prize for her digital photograph, “Bella.” Holman is a native of Donelson.

Five Cumberland students received honorable mention as a part of the annual competition. They are:

- Eric Rogers, of Rome, Ga., for “The Throw” (acrylic on panel triptych)
- John Essary, of Smyrna, for “The Look” (digital photograph)
- Thom Wilkinson, of Mt. Juliet, for “Electric City Storm” (digital photograph)
- Meiska Starner, of Hendersonville, for “Virtus” (oil on canvas)
- Greg Harness, of Lebanon, for “Metal Harmony” (mixed-media drawing)

Middle Tennessee State University art instructor Patricia Tenpenny (M.F.A., Louisiana State University) served as juror for the competition. Tenpenny, who taught in the community college system of Mississippi for eight years, has exhibited regionally and nationally.

As part of the competition, the students’ entries will be on display in the Adams Gallery through April 22. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

The awards were sponsored by the Cumberland University Fine Arts Council (CUFAC), the Thackston Family Foundation and Nashville-based Plaza Art Materials. The juror was sponsored by Arts Build Communities, a grant program of the Tennessee Arts Commission administered through the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.