Exhibit at Harbor Village Gallery in Ventura to Feature Work of Young Artists 2/13 to 3/11

Buenaventura Art Association will showcase works by the top three winners of the sixth annual Collegiate Emerging Artist Cup scholarship competition in a group show starting Feb. 13 at its seaside Harbor Village Gallery.

"Donuts" by Jeanette CoronaJeanette Corona, Paige Kilbourne and James Joseph Nagy placed first through third, respectively, in the March 2012 judging. Corona works in oils on canvas; Kilbourne and Nagy are pursuing careers in photography. Each will exhibit about a dozen pieces. They will attend an artists’ reception at the gallery 5-8 p.m. Feb. 15.  

Corona won for “Donuts,” a large, colorful close-up still-life, but said she prefers doing figure and portraiture work with live models. For this exhibit, she has selected some nudes, a couple portraits, an abstract and other subjects.

Photographing fashions and fantasies — often together — is Kilbourne’s passion. She likes to create surreal art, “making what is in my head come to life.” A recent photo series inspired by “Alice in Wonderland” features elaborately staged models in full costume and makeup.  

Nagy, who is building a portfolio as a wedding and event photographer, is fascinated with “old school” subjects and methods. A darkroom denizen in a digital age, he experiments with processes using chemicals and exposure to light to create modern views that resemble wet-plate or daguerreotype photos. He took third last year for “Ascension,” an urban landscape employing a liquid emulsion on steel plate.  

Their recent works will be on display through March 11 in the gallery at 1591 Spinnaker Drive in Ventura Harbor Village, which is open noon-5 p.m. daily except Tuesdays. For more information about the exhibit or the nonprofit Buenaventura Art Association, call 648-1235 or visit the website www.buenaventuragallery.org.