Chicago Heights, IL–(ENEWSPF)– As a photographer, Michelle Cox’s primary goal is to shed light on forgotten places and things and use them as components of stories. Her passion for bringing abandoned places back to life earned her the Prairie State College (PSC) annual Photographer of the Year award. Her work will be on display in the Photographer of the Year and Annual Student Exhibit through Thursday, September 23.
The Photographer of the Year award is given to an outstanding photography student. In addition to being the featured artist in the student show, Cox also will receive a $1,500 scholarship.
“My love is interior photography, but most specifically desolate and neglected interiors. I see these areas for their details,” said Cox, of Lansing. “I love to draw attention to the most tiny and seemingly insignificant items. I feel as though there are stories to be told, memories to be heard, and history to be recorded in many items that are just left by the wayside.”
Cox’s photos are of the Nurse’s House, a place where the nurses of the Crown Point, Ind., jail mental patient unit lived during the 1940s outbreak of the white plague. The building is currently abandoned, but the owner of the Indiana Theatre Ballet hopes to restore the building and turn it into an art gallery and theatre.
“When I first walked into the house, I was overwhelmed with the feeling of what once was,” said Cox. “I could see what things looked like before time took its toll and for me, I wanted to see it that way again. I walked from room to room and chose very carefully how I wanted to showcase it.”
The exhibit also features selected works by students in fine arts, photography, and graphic communications. A reception will be held to honor Cox and the student artists on Wednesday, September 8 from 12 noon to 2 p.m.
Student artists in the exhibit are: Pierre Bell, of Country Club Hills; Tiffany M. Berry, of Glenwood; Carol Bowns, of Beecher; Aaron Brown, of Peotone; Peggy D. Brown, of Matteson; Lauren Campbell, of Flossmoor; Erica Counts, of Steger; Joshua Erving, of South Holland; Elizabeth Gallagher, of Steger; Denzel Harvey, of Richton Park; William H. Matthews III, of Matteson; Sean Johnson, of Chicago Heights; Jonathan Karavas, of Monee; Christopher Kemp, of Richton Park; David Koenig, of Beecher; Isaiah Lawrence, of Richton Park; Joseph T. Malia, of Peotone; Miriam Meade, of Chicago Heights; Celeste Miller, of Crete; Qudos Owokoniran, of Chicago Heights; Robin Predny, of Homewood; Jacqueline Reyna, of Chicago Heights; Aly Rhodes, of Homewood; Patricia Rinella, of Flossmoor; Daniel Rodriguez, of Calumet City; Shane Senesac, of Crete; Hannah Severs, of Homewood; Kathleen Skelton, of Homewood; Brigid Thomas, of Homewood; Justin Van Niel, of Homewood; Anthony Vicidomini, of Crete; Jessica Walker, of Homewood; Keith Walker, of Park Forest; Brianna Weaver, of Country Club Hills; Jeannette Wiley-Smith, of Park Forest; Jeremy Wright, of Chicago Heights; and Sarah Zakrzewski, of Richton Park
Hours for the Christopher Art Gallery are Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Wednesday and Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. Visits can be made by appointment. For more information about the exhibit, or to make an appointment for a visit, contact the Prairie State College Foundation at (708) 709-3636.
