On Friday, April 17, the Thorne Sagendorph Art Gallery was packed full of patrons who observed various pieces created by KSC Students. Those who have worked in the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) were able to set up and show their works of art at the Annual KSC Art & Design Exhibition.
One of the first rooms filled with student art was covered in work from graphic designers. Senior BFA graphic design student Jack Mohr had a collection of work that he said represents the time he spent at KSC.
“The members of the BFA, we’re here today to showcase four years’ worth of work. Everything we’ve worked on from class projects to client work to personal as well. We’re just happy that we get a place to showcase all of the effort that we put in,” Mohr said.
Art and Design Department Chair Randall Hoyt spoke on the effort put forth by all of the artists, especially the graphic designers.
“This is all the work they’ve been working on for the past four years. They’ve been taking class after class, they’ve been getting better and stronger,” Hoyt said. “I know this particular group of designers has been working day and night. They tell me this experience is not just a class.”
Judan Retzlaff, another senior within the BFA graphic design program, flipped through his portfolio binder while he explained the various projects he had worked on in the past four years.
“Me and one of my classmates from last year actually made the current SHOWROOM logo. It’s being used in their website and all their branding and stuff, and it was great that we got to work on that,” said Retzlaff.
Retzlaff went on to talk about the course in which he was able to collaborate with local businesses, such as the SHOWROOM, along with his classmates in the program.
“Design Center is the class where we get to work with a lot of local companies and businesses and we get to work with them as clients,” Retzlaff said. “We take notes and we have different meetings and critiques. It’s completely setting us up for actually working in the real world as a graphic designer.”
People from the community joined friends and family to stroll through the gallery to see the various art pieces throughout the exhibition. A student audience member, sophomore Connor Poederson, spoke on the feeling of seeing fellow classmates accompanied by their artwork.
“As an art major myself, it’s really cool to see all the work that the people I go to classes with have been cooking behind the scenes,” said Pederson.
One of those people cooking behind the scenes was senior Emily Russman, who is in the studio art program. She said the process of creating and displaying her art felt earned.
“This is the culmination of so much dedication, learning, toiling and experimenting. The whole experience is kind of wrapped up in the big show,” Russman said. “It’s such an honor and it feels very earned.”
Russman went on to talk about the experience within the BFA program. “If they get a chance to get into the BFA program, try, because it’s amazing to be able to focus on your work so precisely,” Russman said. “It’s invaluable.”
Senior Ky Woloski is also a student in studio art, and said that the school needs more opportunities for students to show their work. Woloski spoke on the feeling of being able to show off all of her hard work at the showcase.
“I feel blessed and I’m really excited for everybody to see it and have strangers come up to me and say, ‘This looks cool.’ It makes me feel happy,” said Woloski.
Hoyt said he was not hopeful that there would be a large student turnout, but hoped that if students did come, they would be inspired.
“I hope they realize that being a creative person is not just reserved for those very few. It’s something they can experience and know for themselves,” said Hoyt.
The pieces from the exhibition will be up in the Thorne until Friday, May 8.
Jacob Enscoe can be contacted at
