The San Jose Sharks and The Sharks Foundation are pleased to announce the San Jose Downtown Foundation’s Downtown Doors program as a grant recipient for the 2005-06 season.

The goal of the SJDF is to promote cultural diversity and awareness through the arts for San Jose and Santa Clara County residents. The Sharks Foundation’s $6,000 grant specifically aids the Downtown Doors program, which offers high school students an opportunity to demonstrate their artistic ability and showcase their craftsmanship within the community. Students submit various works of art and those selected then have their pieces digitized, enlarged and mounted on blank utility doors of highly visible buildings to be enjoyed by the thousands of people who live, work and visit the downtown area.

“The San Jose Sharks recognize the role of the arts and artistic expression in a well-rounded education,” said Laura Johnston, Sharks Foundation Manager, “We’re happy to be able to provide an outlet for some of the area’s budding young artists.”

This year fifteen artists were selected, each receiving a $250 cash prize, one-year memberships to the Museum of Quilts and Textiles and the San Jose Museum of Art and $100 gift certificates to Mel Cotton’s Sporting Goods and The Artists and Craftsman Supply.

Six of the student artists were sponsored directly by The Sharks Foundation. They include:

“Zoom,” by Jessica Blaine (Lincoln High School), located on a three-panel utility door of the Fairmont Hotel facing Market Street;

“Fountain Romance,” by Emily Gliozzo (Lincoln Saturday Art Academy), located on a three-panel utility door of the Fairmont Hotel facing Market Street;

“Untitled,” by Med Williams (Santa Teresa High School), located on a three-panel utility door of the Fairmont Hotel facing Market Street;

And (l-r) “On the Surface,” by Raquel Robledo, “On the Inside,” by Gina Maune and “Surreal Smile,” by Alex Meadows (all Lincoln High School), an ensemble of three works located on a three-panel utility door of the Fairmont Hotel facing Market Street.

Other art selected for installation this year were:
• Staged in Red,” by Katherine Webb (Lincoln High School), located in the Paseo de San Antonio Plaza on the Repertory Theatre;
• “The Native,” by Eliza Morales (Lincoln High School), located in the Paseo de San Antonio Plaza on the Repertory Theatre;
• “Fruit Punch,” by Diana Juarez (Lincoln High School), located on a three-panel door on the First Street side of the Fairmont Hotel;
• “Nature’s Promise,” by Allegra Bick-Maurischat (Lincoln High School), located on a three-panel door on the First Street side of the Fairmont Hotel;
• “Inspiration Meets Innovation,” by Vi Vu, (Lincoln High School), located on a three-panel door on the First Street side of the Fairmont Hotel;
• “Sidewalk Pairing,” by Allegra Bick-Maurischat (Lincoln High School), located on the north side of the Fairmont Hotel near the reflecting fountain;
• “Fantasia,” by Julia Lemke (Notre Dame High School), located on the north side of the Fairmont Hotel near the reflecting fountain;
• “Modern Woman,” by Lucie Roberts (Lincoln High School), located on the Second Street side of the Pavilion and
• “Paused,” by Becky Roberts (Lincoln Saturday Art Academy), located on the First Street side of the Pavilion.
To learn more about the Downtown Doors program and see all of this year’s artisits, please visit http://www.sjdowntown.com/downtowndoors/index.html.