Nansemond-Suffolk Academy’s lower-school building is about to become an art gallery showcasing exciting works from more than 150 artists between Jan. 25 and Feb. 2.

The annual art show, benefiting the school’s art program, is returning for its 28th year. Including paintings and multimedia, the works of about 175 individual artists will be featured, said Melissa Holland Hlinovsky, NSA’s annual fund coordinator.

“This year we are maxed out,” she said. “It’s going to be a great show.”

Norfolk’s Janice Gay Maker has been named the show’s 2014 honorary chairman and featured artist. “The featured artist is special in that they get to have their own lobby with 35-plus paintings,” Hlinovsky said.

The featured artist is selected largely based on previous years’ sales, she said, with the decision ultimately made by a committee. “Out supporters, they loved Janice’s work,” Hlinovsky added.

“I honestly don’t remember how many years I have been in the show, but it’s been a number of years,” Maker said.

The artist says her landscapes are about stopping time to capture a cherished moment in reality, and she works with oils and pastels to infuse her canvases with light and rich color and texture.

She can mostly be found at the d’Art Center in downtown Norfolk, where she has kept a working studio since 1992. She has also led various classes and workshops in Hampton Roads.

The show and sale opens with a Jan. 25 reception from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and concludes with a kids’ day on Feb. 2 from 1 to 4 p.m.

On Jan. 26, there will be a reception for parents of alumni, from 1 to 4 p.m., and the show and sale then opens daily through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., while hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for Sunday, Feb. 1, which is also Kids’ Day. A grandparents’ reception will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on the Wednesday. The event is open to the general public each day, with free admission and parking.

“The students take ownership” of the show, Hlinovsky said. “It’s very touching … to hear the students come through the hallway and comment on the art. They have their own opinions, like we have opinions.” Teachers also incorporate the artists and their works into their classrooms, she added.

Prices have ranged from $25 to $7,000 — Hlinovsky said smaller works, such as charms, have been available for even less — and students will often stake out works to purchase themselves.

“Last year, a student went and bought a painting for a member of the housekeeping staff after hearing him comment on it,” said Debbie Russell, head of school.

From an artist’s perspective, Maker said the show and sale has a “wonderful reputation. I don’t want to waste time dropping art off at a place then have to come and pick it up. There’s really good sales, and that’s what keeps the artists coming back.”

The artists set prices, Hlinovsky said, and the school keeps 35 percent of sales.