Written by Bob Mills, Bioeconomy Institute communications specialist
A mixed-media work of art entitled “Memento Mori” by Natalie Buskohl won the “Best in Show” award at the 2014 Biorenewables Art Competition held by the Bioeconomy Institute. Buskohl, a senior in Integrated Studio Arts in Iowa State University’s College of Design, received a $750 prize. Her artwork becomes a part of BEI’s permanent art collection. In the statement that accompanies her piece, Buskohl said, “I wanted this piece to be a reminder that we are a part of nature not apart from it.”
Other winners were Daniel Dolash for “Natural Rights,” a 9-piece mixed-media work, earning him first place and $350; Eric Rolek and Guillermo Thompson, for “Bioluminance,” a lamp made with bioplastics, for second place and $250; and Ashley Hogenson for “Fusion,” an acrylic painting, for third place and $150.
The competition is open to Iowa State students enrolled in Integrated Studio Arts/Integrated Visual Arts ( ISA/IVA) courses. The goal is create artwork that reflects the Bioeconomy Institute’s mission, which is economic, environmental and social sustainability to advance development of biorenewable resources for the production of materials, fuels, energy, and chemicals. The prizes are sponsored by Robert C. Brown, BEI director.
The jurors for the 2014 competition were Chris Vance, Sara Merritt, and Laura Jarboe. Vance is an independent artist from Des Moines and visual studies graduate from Iowa State. He was a juror for the 2013 competition. Merritt is a educational specialist at Iowa State University’s Reiman Gardens and is vice president of the Ames Community Arts Council. She has an MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute. Jarboe is the Karen and Denny Vaughn Assistant Professor in chemical and biological engineering at Iowa State.
The winning works of art, along with all 26 entries in this year’s competition, will be displayed in the lobby of the Biorenewables Research Laboratory (BRL) on the Iowa State campus until March 2014.
The original story first appeared here.