Sharon Harper is the latest artist to be featured as part of Brick City Gallery’s continued Emeritus Series. “Unfolding the Map” is on view July 5–August 4 and will be open for the August 4 First Friday Art Walk from 6-8 p.m.

“I am pleased to be part of the emeritus series and look forward to sharing my work with students, colleagues and the community. It is always productive to be able to see a body of work shown together and see how pieces communicate with one another,” Harper said.

“Unfolding the Map” features 70 works in painting, drawing, ceramics and crochet that use visual metaphors and self-portraits to create a personal narrative of Harper’s own life experiences. These new works come from several sources of inspiration.

“My imagery draws from personal reflections on loss, illness, aging, the pandemic, survival and buoyancy,” Harper explained. “I most recently have been working with houses as a metaphor for family and home; sometimes they are weights, sometimes anchors and sometimes floats that hold you up.”

Harper taught painting and drawing in Missouri State’s Department of Art and Design for 25 years. Former students may also remember senior exhibition, undergraduate independent study, graduate seminar and graduate directed studies classes taught by Harper.

Brick City Gallery is located at 215 W. Mill Street, Springfield, MO 65806 [map] and is open Monday–Friday 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Call 417-837-2330 for additional details.

News written by Taylor Ladd, edited by Reynolds College Communications Team. Photos by Taylor Ladd.

Taylor Ladd is a graduate assistant for the Department of Art and Design. She is working towards her master’s degree in writing at Missouri State University with professional interests in writing about art, culture and food.