Eastern’s Illinois Art Education Association Faculty and National Art Education Association student chapter fosters another home for art education majors on campus.

President Katelin Portz said the organization helped her realize a passion for art education while giving her place to call her own.

“I didn’t always know I wanted to be a teacher but this organization helped me, without them I wouldn’t do as well as I do,” Portz said.

The student chapter focuses on building professional skills, community service and support group for members.

“You really get a family feel,” Angie Villanueva, sophomore art education major and co-secretary said. “We have a lot of classes together so we bond over that and we just hang out.”

Through meetings and mentorship the members create those personal connections especially with co positions on the executive board.

President, vice president, events coordinator, treasurer, secretary and publicity are all of the positions but this year they introduced co-position to start the training process.

“They were ready to be involved and I was excited to see how eager they were to be apart of the execute board,” Portz said. “I am always astonished by our new members and how much they are able to get done.”

During monthly meetings they try to establish the perfect balance of fun and business by providing dinner and name drawings.

While keeping the members informed about upcoming projects, tasks and events.

“We have the Cup of Luck name drawing and its usually art supplies so the members can get a souvenir to take home with them,” Portz said.

With the spring show Salon De Refuses approaching the members shift its efforts in promoting and accepting artwork.

The show is at 6 p.m. February 25 in the DFAC 1910 student gallery where the previous fall show was held.

The Tarble Arts Center has a competitive spring art show around the same time so all of the artwork that was not accepted can be showcased during IAEA show.

“It’s the one that is nicknamed ‘the reject show,’ it’s a joke the art ed majors say to poke fun of ourselves,” Portz said.

This is the first time that students from all majors can submit artwork and the last day to submit is February 17.

All forms of art from sculptures to oil painting is accepted and the only criteria is all work needs to be in good condition and have a background matte.

As an incentive for people to submit artwork several awards will be given: best of show, first runner up and second runner up.

“We have a jurier come in and they look for quality, craftsmanship, creativity and novelty of the idea, and anything to determine if the art was engaging to the viewer,” Portz said.

For the fall show there were approximately 80 submissions, which made staging the student gallery difficult so only 30 submissions will be showcased during the spring show.

However members still encourage everyone to submit artwork.

“The fact that people who aren’t art majors are submitting just shows that everyone has creativity in them,” Villanueva said.

Encouraging students to display their work and build members professional skills are the goal for the art show.

“We want to create a space where all art sections can come together and congratulate each other,” Portz said. “Its about us as educator learning skills.”

Kalyn Hayslett can be reached at 581-2812 or kehayslett@eiu.edu.