MSU Galleries and Department of Art & Design to host student art exhibition “Professional Blend XVII”
By Ann Gosser | Oct 25, 2024
MURRAY, Ky. – The Murray State University Galleries and the Department of Art & Design are pleased to present the “Professional Blend XVII” student exhibition on view through Nov. 5 in the Mary Ed Mecoy Hall Gallery on the sixth floor of the Price Doyle Fine Arts Center.
“Professional Blend XVII” features a variety of mediums and combines artworks created by Murray State Art & Design students currently enrolled in the Art 399 Professional Practices course. Installing this exhibit is an experiential activity for the students, is designed to encompass all that they are learning in their other courses and amplifies their learning experience at Murray State University. The students arrange the layout of the artworks and install the exhibit together to create a public display of their combined efforts.
The “Professional Blend XVII” exhibition features work by 12 students: Ciro Astarita of Jupiter, Florida; Kristian Canada of Paducah, Kentucky; Maria Castlen of Owensboro, Kentucky; Irian Christie of Eddyville, Kentucky; Faith Conner of Marion, Kentucky; Krizianna Groves of Cadiz, Kentucky; Samira Johnson of Lexington, Kentucky; Addison Miller of Murray, Kentucky; Cami Neal of Murray, Kentucky; Emily Ray of Stonefort, Illinois; Sydney Robinson of Hodgenville, Kentucky; and Sadie Smith of Cadiz, Kentucky.
The Art 399 Professional Practices in Art course is designed to explore the materials, skills, qualifications and strategies necessary for students to begin and sustain a career in art and design. The course orients students around the skill-sets they have acquired through their studies. Students engage in experiences and exercises that equip them with an understanding about developing a professional portfolio that includes an articulate artist/design statement, developed resumé, artist/design biography, press release, cover letters and documentation of their creative work. This is a sampling of the assignments given in this course, and incorporating the student directed group experiential activity of presenting this exhibition of their work amplifies the learning experiences in the course and directly connects those assignments to their studio practice.
“I am grateful for the continued support of the Art & Design faculty and staff,” said Director of University Galleries T. Michael Martin. “I would like to thank the exhibiting students for loaning their works for this show and recognize the students along with Anna Sohl, the fall ‘24 gallery assistant, for their effort on the layout, design and installation of this exhibition. I also acknowledge the gallery student worker team: Beth Bailey, Isa Bolanos, Dawn Critser, Ella Cate Downing, Wesley Hammer, Jordy Harrell, Cheyenne Pender, Amber Ryan and Eve Sexton for their assistance with this exhibition and for supporting the ongoing educational mission of the University Galleries.”