Note: A previous version of this release failed to note the first names of the two students featured in the upcoming exhibition. It has been corrected below.
Two senior art education majors at Missouri Southern State University will showcase their work in “Into the Unknown: Exploration in a Time of Uncertainty.”
The exhibit serves as a capstone for seniors Carrie Siegfried-Haase and Alicia Kye Zustiak, who will both graduate in May. Their work will be on display Monday, April 25, through Friday, April 29, in the Spiva Gallery. A reception for the artists will be held from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 26.
Photography, ceramics, fiber art and watercolors are among the mediums highlighted in the show.
Inspired by recent events, Siegfried-Hasse – a resident of Bella Vista, Ark. – has created a variety of pieces that address the impact of the COVID and subsequent lockdown, and the losses we have all experienced. Concern for her own children naturally shifted to those students she will encounter as an art educator. Her work reminds us that children are less equipped to deal with stress, fear, and sadness, and need our guidance, empathy and compassion.
Experimenting with new techniques and materials, Zustiak has created a diverse body of work, with the goal of sharing her process with her future students. Themes present in her work include nature and references to video games and cartoons from her childhood. The pieces can be used as a bridge to understand how our personal experiences influence and connect with the art we create.
The Spiva Gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. Admission is free and open to the public.