UK art students spend much of their time in the School of Art and Visual Studies building, working on their projects.

Open Studio is a chance for them to throw open the doors and let the public see their work.

On Friday evening, the students had a chance to showcase and sell their art for the holiday season.

The event celebrated graduate and undergraduate UK art students with food, drinks and awards. The art showcase included art from intro-level students all the way up to art made by graduate students. Pieces included paintings, sculptures, metal work, fiber, woodwork, ceramics, printmaking, interactive art and live performance art.

Angus Willis, a senior art student, had more than one artwork shown at Open Studio. His piece “Everything Hurts, Why Can’t I Stop Smiling Fun Puzzle”and his “Ride the Nightmare Fun Puzzle Expansion Pack” are acrylic puzzle pieces that he laser cut and assembled for the audience to interact with.

“I hope the audience will enjoy playing with something that is very bizarre and very eerie,” Willis said about his artwork. “I like the mixture of friendliness and revoltingness that it has to it.”

Visitors had the opportunity to buy art before the holidays, as well as talk with the artists about their work.

Ceramics teacher Hunter Stamps was in charge of selling ceramics.

“The students have been busy the last few weeks firing kilns,” he said.

He said they fired their wood kiln at Coldstream Farm, which takes about five days to fire and a week to cool.

“They’ve been firing raku kilns, electric kilns and gas kilns to be able to make all the work for the sale,” Stamps said.

During the showcase, awards were presented to UK art students.

The Carey Ellis Awards second runner up went to Meredith Matia. The first runner up was Alex Lewis. The Grand Prize was awarded to Elizabeth “Liz” Moore.

The Arturo Sandoval Prize was awarded to Aya Al Jabiri and Lewis.

Lewis, who received two awards, is an art senior with a focus in fiber art and digital fabrications.

Lewis won the Arturo Sandoval Prize for his four knitted cacti.

“It’s titled ‘Either/Or’,” he said. “It’s four knitted cactuses on found object chairs. A lot of my work tackles the transitive nature of identity and the complex underpinning of transitivity.”

The Back Alley Press-Excellence in Print Making award went to Grace Mayeur.

The Ross Zirkle Scholarship was awarded to Hayla Ragland.

The Theophila Joan Oexmann Award went to Nicolette Lim, Andrew Campbell and Ali Deane.

The Windgate Fellowship UK nominees are Taylor Davis and Delaney Bal.

Open Studio is an annual event presented by the UK art students at the studio on Bolivar Street.