Although many entered, only one student was awarded Best in Show at this year’s Undergraduate All-Student Art Show.

The winner, Ashlynn Frey, a senior psychology major, said it feels amazing to be honored and is still in shock.

The award ceremony for the art show was Sunday afternoon at the Tarble Arts Center, where a variety of awards and scholarships were announced. Frey however, took home the night’s most overarching award for her piece called “Windows,” a large oil painting with a set of four antique windows, and chipped paint surrounding the broken glass that was the center of the windows.

The background of the painting was blue, giving the older and broken-looking windows a brighter feel, balancing the broken and the bright feeling together.

“It took me about three to four months to complete,” Frey said. “I started the project in November and I continued to work on it through the spring semester with my spare time.”

Given the many reasons people enter art shows, Frey said she wanted to see how far she could take her artwork.

“I wanted to see how far my artwork could go and see how others react to my pieces,” she said. “Would they like it or not?”

“Windows” was not her only piece entered into the show.

Frey submitted two additional pieces – one a self-portrait and another of her young cousin, Lynleigh.

This was neither the first time Frey’s work has been featured in an art show nor the first time she won an award at Eastern for one of her pieces.

“Last year I received a merit award for one of my pieces called ‘Message in a Bottle.’  I have only entered art pieces in the last two years at Eastern’s Art show,” she said. “I have had a total of four pieces accepted, three this year and one last year.”

During her high school career, one of her pieces was accepted into the Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville.

“It feels amazing to have won this award.  I feel so honored and excited to be awarded Best of Show,” she said.  “I think I am still in shock though.  There were so many talented artists who participated.”

Stephanie White can be reached at 581-2812 or at sewhite2@eiu.edu.