Cal State LA announced the winners of the first Janice Cordova Garden of Well-Being student art contest during an unveiling ceremony this month.
Students were invited to submit pieces of original art representing the natural world that convey some or all of the themes featured in the Janice Cordova Garden of Well-Being: relaxation, healing, and transcendence.
The garden, which opened last spring, is located in the heart of campus, between the Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good and the Student Health Center. It is a peaceful space that features a meditative walking path, artwork, and more than 50 types of plant life that promote relaxation, healing, and transcendence.
Students Ede Vuong, Emely Hernandez and Ivan Ly were selected as the winners of the contest. Fellow students, faculty and staff gathered in the garden on April 5 as President William A. Covino pulled back a black curtain to reveal the winning artwork that was reproduced and displayed on the glass door and windows of the Student Health Center building adjacent to the center of the garden.
Vuong’s piece, “Harmony’s Breeze,” is a vivid wall of art that spans the glass windows facing the garden, depicting a relaxed Eddie the Golden Eagle mascot enjoying the lively plant life and peaceful nature scene.
“I hope that this colorful wall art can help inspire wellness and creativity for onlookers,” said Vuong, who is a television, film, and media studies major. “I’m grateful to my family for their incredible support on my artist’s journey and for WellBeingU for the great opportunity and their commitment to create a healing environment.”
“growth,” by Hernandez, is displayed on the windows facing Cal State LA’s Main Walkway and depicts the figure of a woman who resembles a tree on a bright blue background.
“I created this piece to show that everyone can grow, just like Mother Nature herself,” Hernandez, who is majoring in psychology, wrote in her description of her piece.
Ly’s piece adorns the windows facing the deepest part of the garden. In it, a person gazes off into the distance while sitting on a grassy hill.
“Sometimes I feel so caught up with school or life, and it becomes overwhelming,” Ly, who is an animation major, wrote in his description of his art. “Looking up at the sky reminds me that life is so much more than just struggles.”
The art of students who were selected as runners-up—Jose Virgen, Jiatian Guo and Michael Zitser—is now displayed on plaques throughout the garden. An upcoming exhibit on campus is also planned, which will feature all student art pieces that were submitted as part of the contest.
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California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 26,000 students and has more than 250,000 distinguished alumni.
Cal State LA is home to the critically-acclaimed Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center, Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility, Billie Jean King Sports Complex and the TV, Film and Media Center. For more information, visit www.CalStateLA.edu.
