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City Tech Student from China Wins Prestigious Art Award
‘Portrait’ by Sut Lo
pastel, 21” x 16”
“I knew I wanted to come to New York City to study, and my parents didn’t want to hold me back. They let me fly; they told me to follow my dream,” says New York City College of Technology (City Tech) student Sut Lo, who grew up in Macao, which is near Hong Kong. “And here I am facing the challenge of building a career in the arts. I feel very lucky.”
The 21-year-old City Tech student, who lives in Bay Ridge and is majoring in advertising design, had her talent recognized recently when “Portrait,” her first work in pastel, received an Award of Distinction, accompanied by a prize of $150, in the National Arts Club’s 29th Student Exhibition. “I chose to do a portrait of my classmate Monique Weir, whose fine facial structure and beautiful skin tone made her a lovely model. This was my first award,” she adds, “and I will treasure it.”
Things are starting to fall into place for Sut Lo, who came to the United States as an exchange student in 2000, knowing hardly a word of English. Thanks to her host family’s special tutoring efforts while she was attending high school in Pennsylvania, she made the transition from Chinese to English in record time.
In Macao, her artistic training consisted of Chinese drawing classes two hours a week. When she enrolled in a portrait seminar at City Tech, her professor, Leonard Petrillo, quickly became aware of her exceptional artistic talent. Her fellow students, too, acknowledged her abilities by electing her vice president of the Life Drawing Art Club. It was Professor Petrillo who entered one of Lo’s works in the prestigious National Arts Club exhibition.
According to James Cavello, the 2005 Student Exhibition chairperson at the National Arts Club, invitations to submit work were sent to 30 colleges and universities in the New York region. Of the 23 institutions that submitted student work, 17 won awards. “We take pleasure in showcasing the painting, drawing, mixed media and sculpture created by our area’s next generation of talented artists,” he explains. “We make every effort to present their work as a fine art exhibition, and invite a broad spectrum of curators and critics.”
This year’s top prizes went to students at the Fashion Institute of Technology, the National Academy of Design, Barnard College and Cooper Union. “I was in wonderful company,” says Lo, a City Tech sophomore.
Lo’s short-term plans include earning her associate’s degree this summer, and then continuing on for her bachelor of technology degree in communication design. When queried about her career plans, she says, “There are so many choices. I’d like to try different possibilities before making up my mind – advertising, photography, art director, possibly going on for my master’s.”
Asked whether she was always aware of her special artistic talent, Lo says, “Anyone can draw. You have to learn to train your eye and your hand. I believe that anyone who has the interest and is really willing to work at it can create a work of art.”
3.29. 05
