The 24th annual Art in the Metroplex is showing new works by 40 artists, including one TCU student, from 16 North Texas counties at the University Art Gallery in Moudy Building North Room 141.The only TCU student whose work is shown at the gallery is Randy Bacon, a fine arts graduate student, who said he paints landscapes based on panoramic photographs he takes while traveling.

“I get my ideas from pictures I take from driving on the road and use my windshield as my cropping device,” Bacon said.

Bacon added that he averages three paintings a month.

Janet Bishop, this year’s juror and curator of painting and sculpture at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, selected 42 of the strongest works out of 125 to 200 applications she received, said Ronald Watson, gallery director and chairman of the art department at TCU.

Watson, a graduate professor of art, said it is difficult to have your work chosen for the exhibit.

“The TCU art gallery is the longest running competitive exhibition in North Texas and always has very distinguished jurors,” Watson said.

He added that students will relate to the art gallery because most of the artists are in their 20s and share the same outlook and experiences.

“It’s a showcase of talent,” said Watson. “You never know what you’re going to see.”

Mary Kathryn Dunn, a painter from Texas Woman’s University, was one of the students whose work was selected to be shown at the University Art Gallery.

“There are many emerging artists like myself here. This is a nice gallery,” said Dunn.

Watson said about 360 people were at the opening reception Saturday.

Bishop said the public is interested to see the gallery because of the variety of work displayed.

“The TCU gallery is an especially handsome gallery for a university setting and shows not just one type of art, but a broad range of visual expression,” Bishop said.