New Paltz students exhibit at New York State Museum as Best of SUNY honorees

Two recent SUNY New Paltz graduates are among the seven awardees of this year’s Best of SUNY Student Art Exhibition, which showcases work by student artists across the SUNY system.

Best in Show winner Kevin Cieplensky ’16 (Ceramics) and Honorable Mention winner Samantha Rathbun ’16 (Painting, Visual Arts Education) are featured in the Best of SUNY exhibition, on view at the New York State Museum in Albany, N.Y. through Oct. 23. Cieplensky receives a $1,000 scholarship for his work “Untitled,” and Rathbun a $500 scholarship for her work “Pendulum,” in addition to their inclusion in the exhibition.

“The Best of SUNY exhibit highlights the impressive artistic talents of students from throughout our university system and serves as an inspiration not only to SUNY’s administration, faculty, and staff but to all those who visit the New York State Museum,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “Again this year, I am in awe of the student works selected for this summer’s exhibit. Congratulations to the award winners and to all of the students with work on display.”

Artwork featured at the Best of SUNY exhibit are chosen by art departments across SUNY’s 64 campuses. The traditional areas of drawing, ceramics, painting, sculpture, photography and printmaking are included, as are works in mixed media, photography sculpture and digital design and production. These student art shows were initiated in 2002 so that the work of SUNY’s most talented student artists would be seen by a wider audience.

“I’m honored to be recognized and represented alongside a very talented batch of young artists,” Rathbun said.

The show was juried by SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor Caroline Downing, chair of the art department at SUNY Potsdam.

More information about the Best of SUNY Student Art Exhibition is available online.