Graduating art students celebrate growth, creativity with final exhibition

Graduating art students celebrate growth, creativity with final exhibition

The work of 27 graduating artists in studio art, graphic design and art education in Northwest Missouri State University's School of Fine and Performing Arts is drawing a spotlight this month during the Spring Senior Exhibitions.

The weekly exhibitions, which began April 6 and culminate this week, offer the public a firsthand look at the breadth and depth of student creativity developed throughout each artist's academic career at Northwest. The featured artwork spans a range of media, concepts and approaches, reflecting the diverse talents of this year's graduating class.

"Putting on an art show involves many steps that prepare students for real-world professional experience, including proposing an exhibition, creating work, curating and installing a show, writing about their work, and advertising and promoting their shows," Sarah Sipling, an associate professor of art who coordinated the senior exhibition, said. "I hope students walk away with real confidence and a deep sense of pride in everything they've accomplished, because they've earned it."

Jordan Nance, a senior from Gladstone, Missouri, who is pursuing a bachelor's degree in art education, showcased her mixed media sculptures with a painting and a linocut print during the week of April 20.

"They connect to the main themes that guide my work," Nance said. "Those themes include my relationship to the Earth and Mother Nature as well as the relationships I have with the people around me. Art, to me, is a way to share my love for the life I get to live."

Nance said she is grateful for the opportunity to show the work she created during her academic experience at Northwest. After completing her degree, she plans to start her career as an art teacher in Kansas City while continuing to create her own art.

"Northwest has helped prepare me for this by allowing me to learn from amazing art professors who balance their own creative practices with teaching," she said. "That example has shown me that it's possible to be both an artist and an educator at the same time."

The Spring Senior Exhibition concludes this week with artwork displayed in the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building and the adjacent Fire Arts Building.