Art students awarded for downtown murals at competition

TSC art students Lourdes María Ong, Cristina Garza and Margarito Saucedo were selected as winners of the Capitol Theatre Street-Art Competition during the 20th Annual Brownsville Latin Jazz Festival this fall. The three art students competed as part of the TSC Artisan Syndicate Art Club and were recognized by the Board of Trustees during the October 2016 meeting.

A trio of Texas Southmost College (TSC) Artisan Syndicate Art Club students were among seven winning artists awarded for their murals at the Capitol Theatre Street-Art Competition during the 20th Annual Brownsville Latin Jazz Festival this fall.

TSC art students Lourdes María Ong, Margarito Saucedo and Cristina Garza were selected as the winners in their respective categories by a panel of judges, and awarded $100 each for their works. Their murals are located at the corner of 11th St. and Levee St. on the side of the Capitol Theatre Building.

"We have an amazing program that is predicated upon a strong foundation," said TSC Art Instructor David Ransom. "We felt proud that our students' murals were winning submissions in the Latin Jazz Festival's Street Art Competition. The challenges of making art requires critical thinking and decision making when confronted by the unanticipated, and our students definitely rose to the challenge."

The three students were also recognized by the TSC Board of Trustees during the October meeting.

"It's a great honor to be recognized by the Board of Trustees, especially with the love and effort we put into our murals," said TSC Art Club President Lourdes María Ong. "As an art student attending TSC, I admire that my professors are passionate about their teaching and go out of their way to interact, focus, and engage with each student to cultivate a comfortable, yet academic environment for each of us."

The Capitol Theatre Street-Art Competition award ceremony was held on Oct. 16, 2016 and the initiative is part of an effort to beautify downtown Brownsville.

About Texas Southmost College
Originally established in 1926, Texas Southmost College currently offers the first two years toward a bachelor's degree, along with career and technical education leading to certificates and associate degrees, college preparatory studies to prepare students for college-level work, workforce training, and continuing education. Recently selected as a Bright Spot by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, TSC offers 53 programs of study leading to an associate degree or certificate.