ABOVE: Red Rock Center Acting Director Blake Potthoff holds a rather uncommon piece, a painted saw blade called “The Reduction” made by Katie Schultz of Martin Luther High School. It’s expected around 50 students from five high schools in the southern MN/northern IA region will be participating in an upcoming Student Art Showcase.

FAIRMONT – High school students from across the region will have the opportunity to showcase their artistic skills to the public in their very own student art show at the Red Rock Center for the Arts starting March 17.

This year, students from Fairmont, Martin County West, Martin Luther, Blue Earth and North Union entered submissions. Martin Luther is new for this year, and Granada-Huntley-East Chain did not submit anything after having participated last year.

“The Red Rock Center sends out information inviting the students to participate in it,” Acting Director Blake Potthoff said. “There’s an instructor entry form that goes out, and then the student art show submission form that comes along with art as it comes in. There’s a multi-tiered process of getting the artwork here, but it’s mostly facilitated by the teachers at each school district.”

ABOVE: Fairmont High School Art Teacher Kandice Amundson unpacks the art pieces of various styles Fairmont students made for the Red Rock Center’s Student Art Showcase.

Last year, 48 students submitted 60 pieces across 13 categories. Potthoff said there is not a final count yet, but they are anticipating very similar numbers this year.

“Somewhere around 50 students participating, and 50 to 60 pieces of art is what I would anticipate,” he said.

This is Potthoff’s first week as acting director of the Red Rock Center. He said it’s been a whirlwind being put right in the middle of event setup, and having a good support system has been helpful.

“I know and appreciate the amount of work that goes into doing something like this,” he said. “Lisa Hagen helps manage a lot of that stuff. The Red Rock Center for the Arts Board has really stepped up to help during the leadership transition to get me here. They’ve really been doing a lot of the work to make sure the art show still goes on, that the students can get their art submitted that will be hung, and that open house will take place.”

Throughout the rest of this week, artwork is still being dropped off. Starting next week, three judges will look through all of the submissions and judge and score them. It will then be placed along the walls and displayed for the exhibition’s opening March 17 and open house from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. March 18.

The featured artists will also receive an arts workshop on Friday, March 27, starting at 9 a.m. This is the final day of the exhibition, and a lunch and ceremony will be held starting at 11:15 a.m.

Potthoff said these opportunities are critically important to the students in this community.

“There’s an opportunity for them to showcase their art, to showcase the things they do,” he said. “That’s something I think is really important to a community. As judging is part of it, I think when you get into an art show, art competition, that’s a standard thing. I think having the opportunity to do that here locally gives the students a sense of what it would be if they wanted to continue their art careers, or they wanted to do some sort of competitive art.”

Overall, Potthoff said it is important to Red Rock’s mission that they highlight kids who have passion so they can showcase and pursue artistic opportunities.

“That’s what we should be doing,” he said. “It’s a community art center. The Red Rock is for the community, it’s by the community, and therefore, we have to continue highlighting the community. Every kid, every artist, every person, has a voice. The more we can do to highlight their voice, however they want to express it, whether vocally, instrumentally or through visual art, that’s the way that we have to continue to proceed.”

The gallery is free to attend, and is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. It can also be viewed outside of those hours by appointment. To do so, or get more information, call (507) 235-9262. There is also more information at redrockcenter.org/