Buster is essentially human: he stands 89 inches tall and is made out of twigs and other unidentifiable materials; the sculpture by artist Linda England is showing at the current student art show.

The free exhibit will be open until June 3; works in various media such as sculpture, painting, drawing, photography, jewelry, ceramics and digital media are on display.

Some of the art that will be showcased will include the works of two students who won the 2005 Media Arts Award.

Katina Loveless was one of three winners in the Digital Imagery category, while Maria Vargas won in the Corporate Identity category.

The statewide competition included over 650 entries and was judged by a panel of over 50 faculty and indstry professionals throughout California.

According to professor Joyce Dallal, this was a very prestigious award, and to have two winners be from EC was simply amazing.

A reception for the Art Show took place on May 20. The entire art department was open for visitors to come see what goes on behind all the normally closed doors.

A popular attraction was the foundry pouring in the sculpture studio.

Visitors watched as the students, aided by their professor Russ McMillin, poured molten copper into ceramic molds.

All the pieces in the show are selected for their general excellence and individuality; instructors are only allowed to choose two students per class.

“It’s really important for art departments to show student work,” museum curator Susanna Meiers said.

Meiers, who has been with the museum since its inception in 1971, said it takes only two weeks to get the gallery ready for a show. Meiers, along with museum co-director Michael Miller, puts on six shows a year. Each show is open for a month.

Miller is responsible for the installation of the art in the shows and teaches the gallery management class.

“I am always amazed at the quality of work that comes out of El Camino,” Miller said.

All of the members of the faculty are extremely proud of the work that students are putting out; many of them feel that it surpasses the level of community college.

“If you were to look at any of the four-year schools and see the work that students there were putting out, the work here would outdo it,” Miller said.

May and June are the time of year when a lot of schools are putting on their art shows.

Despite all of the hard work that goes into a show, Meiers said she does not mind. She does it because she believes in the work that the students are putting out.

“I think that it is a testimony to the sort of strength of the student work and the art department; the work is so incredibly good,” Meiers said.

Students may sell their work if they wish, but are not obligated to do so. Should anything happen to a student’s work while in the care of the museum, the school insures it up to $50.

One of the exhibits is a group of postcards painted in watercolor by various students who donated the pieces to the show.

All of the proceeds generated by the postcards will benefit the museum.

Postcards may purchased for $5 through the gallery. Meiers said that work gets more imaginative as the years go by and that the techniques being taught are superb.

“I love just seeing the sort of energy that is available and seeing what people are doing. It’s inspiring,” Meiers said.