[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/SUMMA09.jpg” caption=”Artist/graduating art student Karli Strohschein puts the finishing touches on her installation. Photo courtesy of MMA. “]The Honours Art Graduation Exhibition, titled Play Nice opens this week at the McMaster Museum of Art. This eagerly anticipated annual event, featuring the work of 25 emerging artists from the McMaster School of the Arts' Studio Art Program, runs April 14 to 25.

Working in a wide variety of media, from painting to performance, the graduating class of 2009 is particularly accomplished.

In addition to initiating The Show & Tell Collective, a student run gallery on Hamilton's James Street North, members of the class of 2009 exhibited at Nuit Blanche, Hamilton Artists Inc., Loose Cannon Gallery, The Production House, and Ferguson Cottage. They also participated in the Art Gallery of Ontario's Youthline Art Auction and completed commissions for Nycomed Canada Inc., Mills Memorial Library, and Burke Science Building.

Everyone is invited to join the artists at a public reception on Saturday, April 18 from 2 to 4 p.m. There will also be two student talks: An Artists' Talk on Tuesday, April 21, 12:30 p.m. and an Art and Engineering Talk on Thursday, April 23, 12:30 p.m.

Following the success of last year's initiative, several art students worked in collaboration with McMaster engineering students to develop their final exhibition pieces this year. This process, its challenges and successes will be discussed by the students at the April 23 presentation.

The students have produced an exhibition catalogue.

For more information, please visit the McMaster Museum of Art website.

This exhibition has been generously sponsored by Rogers Wireless Incorporated.