[KHTS] – The College of the Canyons Art Gallery is presenting the 18th annual Student Art Exhibition starting on May 15, COC officials announced Friday.

The exhibition features a wide representation of work produced by the college’s student artists, including paintings, drawings, figure drawings, 2D and 3D designs, graphic designs, photography and media entertainment arts.

“Every spring, I worry that we will not receive enough student entries, only to be overwhelmed by receiving as many as 300 pieces of art,” said Larry Hurst, gallery director.

Serving as the semester’s culminating event for many COC students, the exhibition also plays an important role in Hurst’s ongoing initiative to expand the COC Student Art Collection, which allows students to submit their artwork for competition to win cash prizes, according to a COC news release.

Shirley Cannon, a retired arts educator and exhibiting artist from Santa Monica, is scheduled to curate the exhibition as this year’s guest juror.

“It’s a tough job for a guest juror to try and pare all the student submissions to around 100 works,” Hurst said. “But with this type of exhibition, there’s guaranteed to be something on the wall for everyone to enjoy.”

The Student Art Exhibition is scheduled to open at the COC Art Gallery on Thursday and run through June 12.

The exhibition is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. Additional viewing appointments outside normal gallery hours can be scheduled by calling 661-362-3612.

For more information about the COC Art Gallery or the Student Art Exhibition, click here.