Greta Reichenbach stood in the crowd, anxiously awaiting the results. Surrounded by friends and family, she held her breath as the name was called: her oil painting received an honorable mention at the Santa Fe College Annual Student Art Gallery.
“It feels like I’m an artist,” she said, smiling as people approached to view her work. “Seeing my work up and seeing it have reactions makes me feel like I'm actually a part of the community and making a difference and impacting people.”
The Santa Fe College Annual Student Art Show featured pieces selected from students across the fall and spring semesters. The juried show highlights student work from visual arts classes, including everything from ceramics to photography.
The exhibition opened Friday with a reception and award ceremony at the Santa Fe College Gallery. Gainesville-based muralist and painter Jenna Horner selected the awards—including first, second, and third place, and honorable mentions. Gallery staff also selected one piece for the Gallery Choice Award. The show will remain on display through May 2.
Reichenbach previously submitted work to the student show but didn’t get in. This year, she returned with five accepted pieces and a new sense of confidence in her work.
“This is another nice thing to have in my heart,” she said. “This is another step for me as an artist.”
Reichenbach’s work draws heavily from themes of femininity and identity. She nearly didn’t submit her self-portrait until her professors encouraged her to submit.
Brynna Bat, interim gallery manager, said the student show acts as both an educational tool and a professional milestone for Santa Fe art students.
“The gallery at Santa Fe is seen as an extension of the classroom,” she said. “It's a great chance to see what it would be like to have their art in a show and get recognition and exposure for all the hard work they do in their classes.”
Each piece in the show came from a class assignment or an independent project completed under a professor’s supervision. Faculty from Santa Fe College’s visual arts program reviewed more than 400 submissions from open calls in the fall and spring semesters, narrowing it down to nearly 100 works. The competitive selection process gives students a glimpse into what it’s like to participate in a real-world juried exhibition.
For students like Tabatha Seiter, the experience of seeing the public interact with their art was deeply personal.
“I did install it myself since I work here, so I've been seeing it for the past two weeks,” she said. “I love seeing it now with so many people looking at it and hearing their opinions.”
Seiter’s work earned the Gallery Choice Award, chosen by staff.
Across the gallery, one piece stood out: a salvaged boat transformed into a mixed-media piece by student Hannah Bloodsworth. Visitors paused as they entered the space, their eyes immediately drawn to the repurposed vessel. The piece, Drained, Forgotten, earned Bloodsworth an honorable mention.
Bloodsworth, who showcased five pieces this year, said this show felt different from her past experiences.
“I wasn't really expecting to get anything tonight, especially not for my boat,” she said. “It feels really nice to be recognized.”
As someone from a rural area, Bloodsworth said she finds joy in sharing parts of that world with people from different backgrounds.
“I can just let them see what I think,” she said. “It’s awesome.”
The student art show gives creators like Bloodsworth the space to do just that—share their stories, their processes, and their passion with a wider audience.
“It gives us a way to share our work with other people in a way we can’t really do by ourselves,” she said. “This was really helpful for us to get that experience of being in a gallery and being appreciated.”
Bat said seeing students thrive in that environment is exactly the point.
“We like to give them that opportunity to feel out what the process is like and how rewarding it is to exhibit your work in a professional setting,” she said. “It's always really fun and rewarding to see the surprise on the students' faces when they win.”
For Reichenbach, the recognition meant more than just an award.
“When they said my name, I was like, oh my God,” she said. “I was hoping for it. It’s affirming. I'm not used to winning a lot of things in my life, especially not from my work.”
As she left the gallery Friday night, Reichenbach offered a piece of advice for artists still searching for their moment.
“If your heart is set on something, whether it be painting or singing or any kind of creative medium, don't let anything stand in your way from doing what your heart wants,” she said. “Do what you love.”