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Student’s work featured in D.C. exhibition

Paintings by UC Santa Cruz student David Castro are being shown as part of Driven, an art exhibition at the Smithsonian Institutions’ Dillon Ripley Center that runs through Dec. 31. Sponsored by VSA arts and Volkswagen of America Inc., the exhibition features the work of 15 emerging artists with disabilities.

During a recent trip to attend an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., UC Santa Cruz student David Castro (left) met Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-RI).

Castro, who is pursuing a double major in fine art and history, received an Award of Excellence and a $2,000 prize. His painting Mindscape #5 is currently on display at the Smithsonian, and another one of his works is being exhibited at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Last month Castro traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend an award ceremony on Capital Hill. The festivities also included a brunch for the award winners and trips to the Smithsonian and Kennedy Center to view works by the emerging artists.

The work featured in the exhibition was selected by a distinguished jury, including William A. Newman, artist and professor at the Corcoran Gallery of Art; John Perreault, art critic for Artopia; and Lisa Wainwright, dean of graduate studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

The program, which recognizes emerging artists with disabilities ages 16 to 25, is the largest of its kind, according to VSA arts. The non-profit arts organization has partnered with Volkswagen to identify and recognize talented young artists for the past six years.

“This exhibition highlights the enormous possibilities that exist for their bright futures and what they might pursue,” said David Geanacopoulos, Volkswagen of America Inc.’s director of industry-government relations.

Please contact David Castro at davidcastro1984@yahoo.com or his advisor Professor Frank Galuszka at frgalusz@ucsc.edu about David's participation in this exhibition.