Exhibitions Archives - Reynolds College Blog

Department of Art and Design announces exhibitions at Carolla and Brick City galleries

August 10, 2026 by Reynolds College

From Aug.3-Sept. 18, Missouri State’s Department of Art and Design will host two new exhibitions highlighting Indigenous contemporary art.

“Linear Irregularities” is currently on view in the Carolla Arts Exhibition Center. “Crossroads” is housed in the Brick City Gallery. Both exhibits will also be on view during the First Friday Artwalk Sept. 4.

“These two shows are the start of a great year of programming for the art and design department,” said Dr. Mitzi Kirkland-Ives, department head. In addition to a robust exhibition schedule for the 2026-27 year, the department will also continue its Visiting Artists, Designers and Scholars series, she added.

Department of Art and Design presents two student exhibitions

March 10, 2026 by Reynolds College

From March until the first weeks of April, the Department of Art and Design is hosting two different student exhibitions.

The All School Exhibition is on view at the Cabot Gallery and Brick City galleries, located in the Brick City complex. Cabot Gallery hours for this event are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 12-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Brick City Gallery will be open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 12-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The exhibition runs from Feb. 27-April 5. Brick City galleries will also be open during Springfield’s First Friday Art Walk April 3, 6-9 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Annual Juried Student Exhibition is on view at the Carolla Arts Exhibition Center. Carolla Center hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Carolla will be closed April 3-5.

The Annual Juried Student exhibition runs from March 6-April 10.

Missouri State students’ artwork on display at Schweitzer Brentwood Library

March 4, 2026 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Throughout February, students in Dr. Weirong Yan-Schaefer’s Chinese language courses had their artwork displayed at the Schweitzer Brentwood branch of the Springfield-Greene County library in Springfield, Missouri.

Faith Sheridan, Audrey Roney, Lauren Bleau, Ella Hemingway and Ally Vestal had their works on view in the exhibit. They are enrolled in Schaefer’s Chinese Reading and Composition (CHI 312) and Intermediate Chinese (CHI 202) courses.

Schaefer is a senior instructor of Chinese and Japanese languages in the Department of Languages, Cultures and Religions (LCR).

Four young women holding their Chinese artwork — Students from Dr. Weirong Schaefer’s Chinese language courses proudly display their artwork. L-R: Lauren Bleau, Faith Sheridan, Ally Vestal and Audrey Roney.

Project blends language and art

Blending language learning with personal creativity, the students designed artwork incorporating Chinese language and Chinese New Year elements. The artwork ranged from Chinese characters to lotus flowers and New Year’s zodiac signs.

Junior modern languages major Lauren Bleau is in Schaefer’s CHI 312 class. Her project, “The Year of the Horse with Chinese characters,” helped her learn more about the Chinese New Year.

“I loved getting to use art as a way to learn. It made me more interested in learning,” she said.

Chinese artwork of Year of the Rabbit — Audrey Roney’s “Moon Jade Rabbit” on display at the Schweitzer Brentwood library.

Students must learn a significant number of Chinese characters in these classes, Schaefer said. They also gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture through immersive assignments like the Chinese New Year art project.

Schaefer got the idea for the project from her Fun with Kanji (JPN 311) course. In that class, students created artwork entirely from kanji characters.

“Their creativity was impressive,” she said. “Some created kanji maps, some designed flowers made of characters, and some formed complex images using only kanji.”

This inspired her to try the same approach in her Chinese language classes.

Emeritus art professor Keith Ekstam’s “Makeshift Ruminations” exhibit now on view

January 21, 2026 by Lynn M. Lansdown

The Department of Art and Design launches its 2026 exhibition schedule with “Makeshift Ruminations: Work from Forty Years in Ceramic Art by Keith Ekstam” at the Carolla Arts Exhibition Center.

“Makeshift Ruminations” runs from Jan. 20-Feb. 20, with a First Friday Art Walk viewing scheduled for 6-9 p.m. Feb. 6.

The exhibit is free and open to the public.

Work highlights specialization in clay

Close up of ceramic artwork on display — Some of Keith Ekstam’s artwork on display at the Carolla Arts Exhibition Center.

Keith Ekstam, who specializes in clay and ceramics, is an emeritus professor in the art and design department. He stated that he remains committed to clay as his “primary art making material” for several reasons.

“It is simultaneously one of the most fragile art media, yet also one of the most permanent and enduring,” he explained. “The simple, direct act of working with clay in one’s hands is the polar opposite of the complex, transformative nature of the kiln firing.”

For Ekstam, clay’s contradictory characteristics led him to choose it as his preferred medium.

“You get your money’s worth when working in clay,” he said.

Exhibit features work of former students

In addition to his own work, Ekstam invited several former Missouri State students to contribute their creative efforts. These alums studied ceramics with Ekstam as well as Associate Professor Kevin Hughes and Jim Hill.

“I had the privilege of teaching and working with many talented students throughout my 37 years at Missouri State,” he said. “My creative research experiences, knowledge and processes were constantly being presented to the students at all levels within the curriculum.”

The alumni artists are Steve Hilton, Keaton Wynn, Dryden Wells, Bekka Bliss, Nate Falter, Jen Falter, Tybre Newcomer, Patsy Cox, Zach Tate, Kendle Durden, Bari Precious, Teddy Osei, Craig Hartenberger and Cortney Yellowhorse-Metzger.

“These are some of the many individuals who have maintained serious careers in the ceramic arts in one form or another,” Ekstam noted. “I hope the viewers will enjoy the strength and diversity of the work made and chosen for exhibition by these alumni artists.”

For more information about Ekstam’s exhibit or about the Carolla Arts Exhibition Center, contact Jodi McCoy, director of exhibitions.

Photos courtesy of the Department of Art and Design.

“Let me tell you a story” exhibit featured at Carolla Arts Exhibition Center

June 30, 2025 by Reynolds College

The Carolla Arts Exhibition Center at Missouri State University announces a new summer exhibition, curated by Olga Shute, MFA in Visual Studies candidate, in collaboration with Director of Exhibitions Jodi McCoy.

“Let me tell you a story: gathering our roots to find belonging,” represents a group exhibition that explores Latin identity through personal and cultural storytelling. It features work by Marco Hernandez, Veronica Ibargüengoitia, Mariana Ruvalcaba, Tina Tavera, Xavier Tavera and Leandre Urrutia.

The exhibit is on view 11 a.m.-6 p.m. July 7-Aug. 1. The center’s schedule is Tuesday through Friday during the summer.

A public reception will be held during First Friday Art Walk on Aug. 1 from 6-8 p.m.