Now in its 79th year, the Student Independent Exhibition (SIE) is an honored tradition at the Cleveland Institute of Art. The exhibition showcases work from all areas—from visual arts and craft to digital art and design—all selected by jurors chosen by CIA students. Prizes are awarded during the opening reception thanks to generous donors.
Join us Friday, February 28 from 6 to 9pm in Reinberger Gallery for the SIE 79 opening reception. Awards will be announced at 7pm. The show will remain on view through April 6.
Juror Bios
Caroline Absher
Earning both a BA in Art History and Painting from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, Caroline Absher has established herself as a prominent figure in contemporary painting. Her work has been exhibited extensively in New York City at venues such as Fredericks & Freiser Gallery and The Journal Gallery. Internationally, her exhibitions include V1 Gallery, Copenhagen; Eighteen Gallery, Copenhagen; Loyal Gallery, Stockholm; lbf contemporary, London; Bode Gallery, Berlin; Green Family Art Foundation, Texas; Shrine Gallery, Los Angeles, among others. Absher has also participated in artist residencies such as the Macedonia Institute, New York, further expanding the scope and depth of her artistic practice. Absher's work has been acquired by the Portland Museum of Art.
In her work, Absher continues to explore the delicate balance between abstraction and representation, color and emotion, presence and absence. Her paintings invite viewers into a space of reflection, where the boundaries between the seen and the unseen blur, and where the quiet beauty of human connection is rendered in vivid, unforgettable hues.
Absher will exhibit at the Journal Gallery in Los Angeles in April 2025.
Nate Cotterman
Nate Cotterman '07 is known for his modern interpretation of glass objects, using traditional Venetian glassblowing techniques, challenging low-end production with innovative design and handmade quality. He has created a line of barware, lighting, and home decor that is both subtle and powerful. His simple forms highlight the natural beauty of the material.
Nate graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art with a BFA in Glass. He has worked as a gaffer for some of today’s top designers and makers. He is a sought-after instructor, having demonstrated across the US at institutions such as the University of Montana, Cleveland Institute of Art, Pittsburgh Glass Center, and Pilchuck School of Glass.
Jewel Ham
Jewel Ham is a multidisciplinary visual artist, curator, and educator interested in using her practice as a means of resistance. With attention to the unapologetic wit and innovation inherent to the Black interior, she approaches narrative portraiture as an act of resistance.
She is a Summa Cum Laude Fine Arts graduate from Howard University, with interest in reimagining liberation, particularly through lenses of wellness and embodiment. As a Taurus, her creative process is largely influenced by her interests in aesthetics, pleasure, and sensuality.
Jewel has had four solo exhibitions to date, all taking place in historical spaces within the Black community. Jewel’s work has also formally appeared in a variety of group shows, publications, and pop culture partnerships worldwide, including the likes of Art Basel, Jeffrey Deitch, Kavi Gupta, Essence, New American Paintings, Nike, New Balance, Donna Karan, and more. She continues to cultivate her creative practice in harmony with her community and personal alchemy.
Sponsors
The Student Independent Exhibition is generously supported by UBGreensfelder.
Reinberger Gallery programming is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County, through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. Our exhibitions are also generously supported by CIA's Community Partners.