BY MELISSA HORTON
Conestoga College’s design foundations students hosted their annual year-end design showcase and awards on April 6 at the Waterloo Region Museum.
Called Skillz Manifesto, the event showcased an array of student designs, including canvas art, prints and two-dimensional and three-dimensional pieces. Guests at the show could bid on canvas paintings by the students and could purchase a selection of student prints.
Tickets cost $10 with proceeds helping to pay for costs incurred by next year’s group of students.
“The faculty organize it every year. It makes funds for next year’s program and it helps us get recognized in the community,” said Anne Marie Connolly, a student in the one-year certificate program. She added that the proceeds help pay for supplies including canvases and paint brushes.
Prior to the event students also designed the advertisements for the showcase in order to draw in the community.
Parents and guests browsed the various exhibits taking in the designs the students had worked on throughout the year.
“It just shows off all of the work we spend the whole year doing,” said Kaitlynn Altmayer, a design foundations student.
However, the showcase was not the only part worth enjoying. When asked about the awards portion and what awards were being given, Altmayer simply answered, “We’re keeping it a secret.”
The showcase lasted two hours and received significant attention from the community.
If local art is something you enjoy, then keep an eye out for next year’s showcase and help support a new class of design foundations students.
