Students' Paintings on Display in Governor's Office

Three students in fine arts professor Lin Xia Jiang’s advanced painting class have garnered the attention of Governor Andrew Cuomo. 

The Buffalo State students' oil paintings were among 15 artworks chosen within the SUNY system to be displayed in Cuomo’s office in Washington, DC.

“I can think of no more appropriate and welcoming images to greet visitors to my Washington, DC, office than those imagined and created by SUNY students,” Cuomo said in a statement. “In the first year of the student display, my staff and I have received many compliments from visitors who were often surprised that the pieces were done by college students and not professional artists. I commend the students whose work was chosen for this year’s breathtaking exhibit and thank them for loaning me their masterpieces.”

Jeremiah’s Kirby’s As the fog rolls in, Justine Barbuto’s Spider, Rose, and Clock, and Kelsey Stay’s two works, Untitled A and Untitled B, went on display June 14 and will remain there until the end of the 2013–2014 academic year.

“I am extremely proud of these students,” said Jiang, who explained that their work was juried and chosen by a panel of SUNY art professors and members of the New York State Arts Council.

“Their pieces are all very different in both content and style,” Jiang said. “Jeremiah’s painting done in plein-air tradition captures a downtown urban landscape; Justine’s is a mix of photo realism and surrealism; and Kelsey’s painting is done in the style of painterly expressionism. It’s all exceptional work.”

This is the second year for SUNY artwork to be displayed in this venue, and the first year Buffalo State has its art students’ work selected. A photo gallery of all of the art chosen to hang in the governor’s office can be viewed online via Generation SUNY’s Facebook page.