Student Art Sale in Burchfield Penney Celebrating College’s 150th Anniversary

Since returning to campus this fall for in-person classes and full use of the art studios, students in Buffalo State College’s Art and Design Department have enthusiastically created a range of work in multiple media, noted Jozef Bajus, associate professor of design and coordinator of the fibers program.

This is fortunate for the Buffalo State community and the community at large, who have the opportunity to peruse and purchase that work during the 24th annual Student Art Sale on Wednesday,  December 8, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Thursday, December 9, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., in the Burchfield Penney Art Center’s second-floor reception area. In previous years, the sale has taken place in Upton Hall’s Czurles-Nelson Gallery.

“Students are excited to be back in person, working together in the studios in class and after hours,” said Bajus, who is coordinating this year’s art sale. “We got a good response for the sale. The work they produced shows such talent, really the best from each program.”

Bajus expects 300 to 400 pieces to be submitted by the deadline, December 3, including jewelry, ceramics, paintings, photographs, scarves, sculptures, and woodwork. Cash, checks, and credit cards are all acceptable forms of payment. Students get to keep 75 percent of the proceeds.

“We decided to have it at the Burchfield Penney this year in celebration of the college’s 150th anniversary,” Bajus said. “The beautiful public-facing venue gives students more exposure, and it’s more conducive for members of the general public to shop, with plenty of parking.”

Bajus took over the sale this year following the 2020 retirement of Carol Townsend, associate professor of design, who served as the sale’s faculty adviser since its inception.

“Carol will help this year through the transition, and I’m extremely grateful to her,” Bajus said, adding that Townsend is one of four members of the Art and Design Department’s Student Enrichment Committee that organized the sale. “I’m also grateful to the Art and Design faculty members who have worked closely with our students, both remotely and in person, throughout the pandemic.”

The sale, which took a hiatus last December because of COVID, is a much-anticipated holiday affair in which faculty, staff, and students can find well-made one-of-a-kind gifts.

“I hope everyone will stop by and see the amazing work our students have produced over the past year,” Bajus said. “The pieces are reasonably priced and perfect, whether you’re looking to decorate your home or office or find a unique holiday gift.”

For more information, please contact Jozef Bajus or call (716) 878-4133. 

Top photo: Violinist in the Park, by Mark Trudell, B.F.A. painting program; charcoal and white pastel on paper, 18 x 24 inches.