The School of Art and Design awarded the Rickert-Ziebold Trust Award which splits evenly a total cash prize $20,000 to the winners. The winners were chosen from 24 participating artists and designers which were judged by the full faculty of the School of Art.

Each faculty member voted yes or no on each exhibit and the winners were chosen by the total number of points received. The award did not distinguish between first, second or third; all winners were chosen because of their comparable level of work.

Judith Shelton, the co-coordinator for the trust award, said the Rickert-Ziebold Trust Award is one of the most prestigious art awards given on a university level.

It is one of the few awards of this caliber in the country, Shelton said.

Michael Kozien, an art student specializing in painting from Mundelein, said he was glad to be acknowledged by the department for his work.

I’m proud to represent the department, Kozien said. The winners have a strong representation of art and design. I think the work was exceptional and that is what the award is about.

Patrick Morrissey, a ceramics major from Trumbull, Conn., said he has been working on connections to the art market and this award helps.

It was really a lot of hard work to get into my field, Morrissey said. This is just one more step in becoming a success.

Morrissey currently has work displayed in galleries in Chicago, Denver and Dallas but says he does not care about becoming wealthy.

I don’t expect to get rich, I just want enough money to live, Morrissey said.

Christine Jilek, who is graduating this year in ceramics from Woodstock, said she will use her award money for graduate school and hopes to become a teacher or be represented by galleries.

Jilek’s work, awarded by the trust, was devoted to clay and ceramics.

I’ve worked with many materials but I’ve really bonded with the qualities of ceramics, she said. I just love to play in the mud.

The other winners awarded by the trust were Yuki Mocaki, a ceramics specialist from Japan; Ted Uran, a sculpture major from Matteson; and Marcus Michels, a painting major from Ellery.

Shelton said the department tried to generate unity among art students.

We are all artists in different ends, but there needs to be a strength between us, Shelton said. We need that feeling of camaraderie.

Kay Zivkovich, a committee member, said the participants’ work was excellent and choosing the winners was difficult.

It was so hard to decide. The whole quality of the show was outstanding, Zivkovich said. The works represented a broad spectrum.

Shelton said the works ranged from commercial to aesthetic types of art and put the department in a good light.

It speaks well of the faculty to develop sophisticated ability in the students, Shelton said. And for the students to grasp conceptual concerns in art.