ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — A highly anticipated exhibit of the areas graduating art students, chosen by their professors and deans, opens April 2 at the Orange Beach Art Center. The graduates’ exhibit will include a diverse range of styles and mediums.

Among the students exhibiting as Emerging Artists are the University of South Alabama’s Rebecca Brown (painting) and Justin Snyder (ceramic and mixed media sculpture), the University of West Florida’s Samantha Williams (video), Pensacola Junior College’s Christopher White (photography) and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Kelsey Wishik (ceramic sculpture).

The Friends of the Arts Inc and the Orange Beach Art Center began the Visiting Artists and Special Exhibits Series in 2009. One of the objectives is to attract diverse artists from the Southeast to exhibit their works.

An important component of this mission is to encourage serious student artists who have chosen to pursue a formal education in visual arts at the university level.

To accomplish this goal, Friends of the Arts Inc. and Orange Beach Art Center  created the Emerging Artists Exhibit to draw attention to the works of chosen graduating artists.

The hope is that this annual exhibition will enhance the careers of young artists by providing exposure, experience and encouragement.

The Artists' Reception is Friday, April 2. from 6-8 p.m. at the Orange Beach Art Center, located next to the Waterfront Park at 26389 Canal Road.

For more information on this exhibit, visit www.orangebeachartcenter.com.

To help support these and many other programs at the Orange Beach Art Center join Friends of the Arts Inc. Contact Juli Jordan at (251) 981-2787 for more information about the nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the arts on the Alabama Gulf Coast.