School of the Arts Archives - Reynolds College Blog

BFA in Art Senior Exhibition now on view at Brick City Gallery

April 17, 2025 by Reynolds College

Missouri State University’s Department of Art and Design announces the BFA in Art Senior Exhibition is on view at the Brick City Gallery.

The exhibition is open April 22-May 2 and ends with the First Friday Art Walk May 2 from 6-9 p.m. Visitors can enjoy a range of artworks, including drawing, sculpture, metal work and new media.

The event is free and open to the public.

Artwork on display in exhibition — Some of Paige Lenahan’s drawings on view at the exhibition.

Brick City Gallery provides a venue for graduating seniors to display pieces that showcase their dedication and creativity in their chosen artistic disciplines. Faculty members Sarah Williams and Jodi McCoy guided the exhibitors through the BFA Studio Art capstone course toward what could be their first major art exhibition.

Artistic painting in pink, purple and red hues. — Detail of one of Megan Aiello’s paintings “We’re Going to Need a Bigger Band-Aid.”

Williams described the showcase as a “pivotal moment” in the students’ artistic careers, as it represents more than just the culminating experience of the BFA in Art program. It also creates for students a solid foundation for professional and personal growth going forward.

The exhibition educates beyond studio practice, Williams noted. It encourages “the development of professional artistic practices such as résumé construction, artist’s statements, preparation and installation of an exhibition and development of exhibition proposals.”

Every artist must complete the core program coursework, but no two students will produce the same work, according to department head Vonda Yarberry.

“This may be obvious to some people, but the underlying purpose of the degree is to help students to develop their unique ‘voice,’” Yarberry said.

“That is what makes these senior exhibitions incredibly exciting.”

Row of artistic figurines — Closeup of Ayo Oyedeji’s work, on view in the exhibition.

Spring 2025 Exhibitors

Megan Aiello, Painting
Mikayla Buneta, Computer Animation
Jadyn Frey, Drawing
Cora Hill, Photography
Eli Houzenga, Computer Animation
Gavin Ichrist, Photography
Alexa Lambton, Painting
Paige Lenahan, Drawing
Hallie Lueking, Photography
Melissa Marrs, Painting
Chaise McCollum, Photography
Natalie McNeill, Computer Animation
Olivia Michaelson, Photography
Erinayo Oyedeji, New Media
Tim Pease, 3D Studies
Elisa Peters, Painting
Adrian Pham, Computer Animation
Gracie Potter, Drawing
Josh Riethmeier, Computer Animation
Jeanne Welch-Kurdle, Photography
Mindy Welland, Photography
Faith Wenzel, 3D Studies
Aly White, Computer Animation

Come celebrate the achievements of these hardworking seniors and see how passion, creativity and talent can build an astounding showcase for these emerging artists.

Brick City Gallery is located at 215 West Mill Street. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Email the gallery for more information.

Explore the BFA in Art program

Photos courtesy of Department of Art and Design.

News edited by the Reynolds College Communications Team.

Sam Barnette is a writer for the Department of Art and Design. She holds an MFA in Dramatic Writing from Missouri State’s Department of Communication, Media, Journalism and Film and is working toward an MS in Data Science and Analytic Storytelling at Truman State University.

“Collaboration” reveals hard work and big dreams of Missouri State dance students

April 10, 2025 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Missouri State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance wraps up the 2024-25 season with its annual Spring Dance Concert.

Titled “Collaboration,” the concert continues this year’s theme of “Connection.” It will feature a variety of both student and faculty choreographed performances.

This year’s concert is coordinated by Associate Professor of Dance Azaria Hogans.

Evening showtimes are 7:30 p.m. April 24-26. Matinee showtime is 2:30 p.m. April 27. All performances will be held in Coger Theatre in Craig Hall.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students/seniors. Special advance rates are available for students with an MSU ID.

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Collaborating to connect

Using an interdisciplinary approach, the concert emphasizes connecting dance with different disciplines, Hogans said. “Every work that will be on the stage has some element of interdisciplinary exploration. This ranges from collaborations with animators to costume construction to STEM concepts and processes.”

Hogans is excited about how audiences will experience the performances.

“Even if an audience member does not know a lot about dance, they will be able to appreciate the interdisciplinary connections made in this concert,” she said. “[They] will be able to see concepts, ideas and maybe even themselves represented in the works.”

Department of Theatre and Dance presents “Blue Stockings” April 3-6

March 31, 2025 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Missouri State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance continues the 2024-2025 season with its production of “Blue Stockings.”

Professor Sarah Wiggin directs the turn-of-the-century period piece, written by Jessica Swale.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. April 3-5 and April 6 at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students/seniors. Special advance rates are available for students with an MSU ID.

All performances will be held in Coger Theatre Craig Hall.

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Play explores historical moments

Set in 1896 England at Cambridge University’s Girton College, “Blue Stockings” is the story of four female students. Cambridge was a pioneer in offering university-level education to women.

In 1896, though, while women could be educated, they could not earn a degree. The play’s young heroines hope to change that.

Consequently, “Blue Stockings” explores a powerful moment in the history of women’s education. As the woman suffrage movement takes place in the background, the women struggle to gain acceptance among their male peers while confronting their own insecurities.

“The play emphasizes the value of education and encourages audiences to think critically about societal structures and injustices,” Wiggin said. “It challenges audiences to reflect on the progress made in women’s rights while acknowledging the work that still needs to be done.”

Tackles themes with humor

With humor and authenticity, the play addresses themes such as equality, education and fighting for one’s beliefs. “I hope the audience will be pleasantly surprised by the comedy in a play tackling such serious subject matter,” Wiggin said.

Meanwhile, although the stage setting is minimalist, “the costumes are period (1896) and should be quite stunning,” she added. “The cast is doing excellent work, and I am very excited to see all the elements come together.”

Reflecting shared dreams

Wiggin believes audiences will find the themes in “Blue Stockings” to be relevant and universal.

“Despite being set in the past, the play raises issues that resonate with contemporary struggles for gender equality and access to education,” she said.

“I expect the audience will see that the kinds of dreams the characters have are shared by them: love, education, a place to belong.”

Annual Juried Student Exhibition on view March 7-April 4

March 13, 2025 by Reynolds College

The Department of Art and Design’s Annual Juried Student Exhibition (AJSE) has returned this spring to celebrate the creativity and achievements of students across the department.

The exhibition is on view March 7-April 4 at the Carolla Arts Exhibition Center.

A special First Friday Art Walk event will be held April 4 from 6-9 p.m.

Professional exhibition experience

The AJSE gives students an opportunity to present their work in a professional gallery setting, gaining valuable experience in the exhibition process. This showcase highlights a range of artistic practices, fostering engagement with the broader art community.

“The annual juried exhibition is an excellent chance for the public to see some great work by our students, but it’s also an excellent learning opportunity for our students to practice their skills in applying for exhibition opportunities, preparing professional-level documentation of their work and ideas,” explained Vonda Yarberry, art and design department head.

Potential exhibitors must submit an application. They also undergo formal, expert jurying.

“Not all students who apply will have their work accepted,” Yarberry said. “But all students will have the opportunity to understand how the process works and will be able to practice skills they are learning in the classroom.”

Mark J. Hall Best in Show Award

The Mark J. Hall Best in Show Award will once again be presented in honor of its namesake, a former student whose passion for the arts continues to inspire. This prestigious award recognizes the most outstanding work in the exhibition and celebrates students’ artistic excellence and innovation.

RCASH faculty named inaugural Education Abroad Faculty Fellows

March 11, 2025 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Missouri State University has announced its inaugural cohort of the Education Abroad Faculty Fellows program.

This year’s cohort consists of eight faculty members from a diverse range of disciplines. Among the eight are three members of the Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (RCASH) faculty.

Those individuals are Jeff Loughary from the Department of Languages, Cultures and Religions, Nikki Ferry from the Department of Theatre and Dance and Dr. William Harwood from the Department of Political Science and Philosophy.

Other selected Fellows are Dr. Benjamin Beranek from the College of Business, Clara Dickinson from the Darr College of Agriculture, Dr. Asif Ishtiaque from the College of Natural and Applied Sciences, and Kelly Dudley and Stephanie Urich from the McQueary College of Health and Human Services.

In addition, four RCASH faculty members served as content experts during the Fellows session in January. They were Joshua Albers from the Department of Art and Design, Dr. William Sandel from the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, and Dr. Leslie Seawright and Dr. Alan Tinkler from the Department of English.

“I was excited to work with the inaugural Education Abroad faculty cohort, sharing ways to weave general education goals and course learning objectives into their education abroad itineraries,” Seawright said. “It was a great conversation.”

“Study abroad is an incredible opportunity for both our faculty and students,” Sandel said. “I was happy to share some of my experiences regarding flexibility when planning and conducting a study abroad program.”