Allison Richcreek, of Niles, won the Mina Pouyamehr Best of Show Award, including a $300 scholarship for 2-D Design and the David Mathews’ Presidential Award April 27 at Southwestern Michigan College’s year-end student exhibit.

She drew a girl in some trees in black ink for Drawing I.

“I was shocked,” Richcreek said. “I didn’t think mine was even in the running. I think he liked the simplicity” of what she created for Shannon Eakins with a 4-foot stick.

“She had a bunch of sticks in her trunk. We had to pick one,” Richcreek said, then dip in Dixie cups of India ink. “It was definitely a challenge. I chose it for its fine tip.”

Richcreek went a more colorful direction in 2-D Design, with a flamingo inspired by Dutch painter Piet Mondrian’s grids of vertical and horizontal black lines and primary colors.

“I probably would have picked elephants, one of my favorite animals, but they’re basically gray. I also thought about cactus and pineapple,” Richcreek said.

“I have a lot of interest in doing canvas artwork aside from (her major) graphic design,” she said. “That’s my personal thing I’d like to do — start my own business and sell home decor with quotes on canvases.”

“I always liked art,” said Richcreek, who works in SMC’s admissions office, “but I didn’t think about it as a career until junior year. My teacher was very encouraging.”

Richcreek was Edwardsburg High School salutatorian in 2016. She dual enrolled at SMC her senior year.

“Both my sisters went to SMC and did dual-enrolled classes. I’ll be able to do an internship during my last year here, then we’ll see. I’ve thought about moving to Missouri, where my sister and brother-in-law are. They live next to St. Louis, so there are a lot of graphic design opportunities there.”

SMC alumna Fawn Bussler, a former Art Gallery attendant, was juror. Her work will be featured this summer in the Krasl’s Emerging Artist Booth in St. Joseph in July.

The Pfliger Foundation of Art award was carried on by “Marcel” Fleming and presented to Cassidy Brown.

Terry Pfliger, who died last June, taught at St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, from 1973-95.

In 1999, the mischievous man and only child who took humor seriously introduced SMC to his fake foundation run by invented siblings, twin brother David and younger sister Marlene, who awarded students toasters as a way to say he really liked a piece of work.

“Many pieces involved whimsical historical fiction, taking real events and altering them to toy with viewers by almost being believable. Putting people on in a gentle way was his great delight,” said Art Professor Emeritus David Baker, who coordinated a Dada-inspired poem read collectively by student volunteers.

Dean of Arts and Sciences Dr. Scott Topping’s introductory remarks quoted Mr. Pfliger’s e-mails.

Drawing — Sam Rodeghier, Jared Maniscalco, Josie Nevins.

Two-Dimensional Design — Brandi St. Cin, Felicia Villareal, Tyler Hunsberger.

Digital photography — Cora O’Brien, Spencer Donaldson.

Photographic design — Ali Schrubba, Jenna Merrill.

Typography — Autumn Alabaugh, Mikayla King, David Genereaux.

Intro to Digital Art — Cassidy Brown, Megan Plasterer.

Graphic design — Lexi Thomas, Jordan Jones, Sarah Wright, Michael Parsons.

Digital publishing — Elisha Bliss.

Three-Dimensional Design — Victoria Belin.

Ceramics I — Jamarlin Stafford, Kelsey Weaver, Josue Aguilera.

Ceramics II — Noel Garcia, Devoni Bond, Liz Szakal.

Student’s Choice Ceramics Awards — Devoni Bond, Liz Szakal.

Southwestern Michigan College is a public, residential and commuter, community college, founded in 1964. The college averages in the top 10 percent nationally for student academic success based upon the National Community College Benchmark Project. Southwestern Michigan College strives to be the college of first choice, to provide the programs and services to meet the needs of students, and to serve our community. The college is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and is a member of the American Association of Community Colleges.