Young Talent in Oklahoma' celebrates 50 years of pairing alumni art with works by high school students

ose young people who are considering going on into the field, and this provides a little extra help," Jeffrey said.

In addition to the winning portfolios, merit awards, honorable mentions and juror's choice recognitions for the ninth- to 12th-grade general entries are given. This year's jurors are Fran Bolte, a high school art teacher from Carrollton, Texas; Chris Ramsay, head of the art department at Oklahoma State University; and David Crismon, head of the art department at Oklahoma Christian University.

"It's really wonderful to be able to put this in your bio or your vitae," Jeffrey said. "If you can say that you have been in a juried show as a 10th grader, that speaks really well for your ability. Thousands of entries are turned in, and our show is narrowed to about 160 pieces. We were so surprised when we were trying to find people from the last 50 years, because some people still include it in their professional bio."

On April 9, a dinner will honor the alumni; on April 10, the exhibit will close with an awards ceremony.

Each day, hundreds of people pass through the gallery in the oncology care center at Integris, most glancing at and many studying the art on their way to doctors' offices.

"A man asked me what the exhibit was and I told him, and he said, 'I can't tell the difference between the adult and the student when I am looking at these paintings. They are all just sophisticated and grounded,'" Jeffrey said. "?Allison Meier

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