Department of Art and Design Archives

Dr. Mitzi Kirkland-Ives appointed head of art and design department

April 27, 2026 by Lynn M. Lansdown

The Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (RCASH) is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Mitzi Kirkland-Ives as head of the Department of Art and Design.

Kirkland-Ives has served as interim department head since August 2025. She joined Missouri State as an assistant professor in art and design in 2009. Specializing in art history, she earned her doctorate from University of California-Santa Barbara and has published multiple books and articles on the subject. Her latest book is “Hans Memling and the Merchants.”

RCASH Dean Shawn Wahl said he was thrilled Kirkland-Ives has joined the Reynolds College leadership team.

“Mitzi brings extensive leadership experience and continuity to the art and design department, one of the largest and most complex academic programs in the School of the Arts,” Wahl said. “She also possesses a broad set of advocacy skills that benefit students, faculty, staff and the arts community.”

Kirkland-Ives is looking forward to continuing her role as department head.

“The range of responsibilities is part of what makes the position so interesting to me,” she said. “The department is large and complicated, with a lot of moving parts in terms of facilities and programming and curriculum. Every day brings a completely new and interesting puzzle to crack.”

“I’m excited for the opportunity to think strategically and come up with creative solutions to help the students, faculty and staff achieve their goals,” she added.

Visiting art professor Dr. Bolaji Ogunwo finds inspiration at Missouri State

April 23, 2026 by Reynolds College

The Department of Art and Design welcomed Dr. Bolaji Ogunwo as a visiting professor for the Spring 2026 semester. The Lagos, Nigeria, painter and muralist teaches drawing and painting courses while sharing a practice built on more than two decades of work.

Ogunwo works in impasto, a technique in which paint is applied in thick layers using a palette knife rather than a brush.

“Color is the vehicle through which my ideas travel,” he explained. “I conjure a rich texture that is unkind to the austere use of paint.”

Ogunwo’s work this semester extended beyond the classroom. In March, he visited Lebanon High School in Lebanon, Missouri. While there he led a painting workshop for students. He also presented a painted portrait to retired Judge Stan Moore.

Meanwhile, his exhibition “Rough Idea” was on view April 3 as part of the First Friday Artwalk at the Jim D. Morris Center. The work drew on his travels and explored how culture and climate shape human experience.

Ogunwo’s connection to Missouri began in 2012 when he met Crockett Oaks, III, an art collector, in Lagos. The pair remained in contact after Oaks returned to the U.S. and joined Missouri State’s West Plains campus. In 2021, Ogunwo visited Oaks in West Plains, where he has since painted murals of African and African American history, culture and achievement.

Art reflects authentic global perspective

Assistant Vice President Paula Moore, of Missouri State’s Global Education and Engagement office, said Ogunwo’s semester represented a meaningful expansion of the university’s outreach efforts.

“The value of hosting a professor of Dr. Ogunwo’s caliber cannot be overstated,” Moore said. “He brings an authentic global perspective that enriches our academic environment, challenges students to think beyond borders, and elevates conversations around culture, history and representation.”

Ogunwo said his semester at Missouri State has influenced his own thinking and practice as well.

“My experience in Springfield during the spring semester is invaluable in my career,” he reflected. “It has shifted my thinking and practice.”

Study Art @ Mo State

Sam Barnette is a writer for the Department of Art and Design. She earned an MFA in Dramatic Writing from Missouri State’s Department of Communication, Media, Journalism and Film. She is now working toward a doctorate in Interdisciplinary Education and Higher Ed Administration from Lindenwood University.

Reynolds College blog posts are human researched, written and reviewed unless otherwise indicated.

Artist Janet Echelman to deliver public talk at Fox Theatre

April 8, 2026 by Reynolds College

Internationally recognized artist Janet Echelman will deliver a public talk about her work at 6 p.m. April 23 at the Historic Fox Theatre in Springfield, Missouri.

Head shot of Janet Echelman — Janet Echelman

Immediately after her talk, Echelman will sign copies of “Radical Softness: The Responsive Art of Janet Echelman,” edited by Gloria Sutton.

The Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities; the Department of Art and Design; Sculpture Walk Springfield; the History Museum on the Square and Bookmarx are co-sponsoring the event.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for not only the university community but also the greater Springfield community,” said Dr. Andrew Wasserman, assistant professor of art history. “As we think about the roles that art plays in society, the chance to hear from an artist directly gives all of us a chance to consider how we see and move through our local spaces.”

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.

Art and design department enjoys successful student exchange program

February 18, 2026 by Reynolds College

For several years, Missouri State University’s Department of Art and Design has hosted students from Tainan National University of the Arts (TNNUA) in Taiwan while sending a Missouri State student to TNNUA.

For the Spring 2026 exchange, Yu An Lin and Melody Yu Hsiu Weng are studying in Missouri State’s art and design department. Lin works with ceramics, and Weng works with metalsmithing and jewelry.