Department of Art and Design set to host Patricia Summerville Emerging Professionals Panel

MURRAY, Ky. – The Murray State University Department of Art and Design will host the Patricia Summerville Emerging Professionals Panel at 4 p.m. on March 4 in Price Doyle Fine Arts Building, room 623.

This year, three Art and Design alumni have been invited to campus to speak about their art careers and studio practice. Carrie Stover (‘05) is the director of the Shrode Art Center in Mt. Vernon, Illinois; Michelle (Chelle) Harr (‘14) is the senior art director at New Honor Society in St. Louis, Missouri; and Jenny Bolhofner (‘09) is the owner and artist of Olive This Felt, in Milford, Ohio.

Stover serves with the leadership team as the director of the Shrode Art Center at Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, where she has worked since 2006. As director, she curates the Regenhardt Gallery, which focuses on highlighting artists in the southern Illinois region through juried competitions and solo exhibitions. Stover supervises and organizes a variety of educational programs including classes and workshops as well as special events developed around current museum exhibitions. She teaches art classes for adults and children of all ages. Her responsibilities include overseeing four adult affinity groups (quilters, baskets, fibers and clay) that meet regularly at the Shrode Art Center with the mission of preserving the tradition of their craft and building a thriving art community. Stover regularly develops cutting edge programs and events that challenge mid-western culture and successfully grow support for the arts in the region. She completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) – emphasis on ceramics –  and art education degrees at Murray State University in 2005. The Illinois Association of Museums selected Stover as the 2022 Museum Professional of the Year, a prestigious, statewide honor. As an artist, she exhibits her ceramic work in galleries nationally and has over nine years’ experience vending at music festivals and fine art/craft fairs. Stover makes her home in Mt. Vernon with her husband Korey, 11-year-old son Cypress and 5-year-old stepson Ethan.

As an art director and designer based in St. Louis, Harr has dedicated nearly a decade to her craft, with experience in both agency work and as an independent illustrator and designer. She earned her BFA from Murray State in 2014 and has been using the skills she learned in her career ever since. Harr’s philosophy centers on prioritizing ideas over the medium. As a multi-disciplinary creative, she thrives on variety, seldom employing the same approach twice. Instead, she embraces ongoing learning, constantly experimenting with different styles and tools. She often draws inspiration from pop culture and social media, embracing elements that might be considered cliché by some, seeing them as “shared moments” and something to look fondly on. In a world where we often take ourselves too seriously, Harr’s aim is to create work that’s not only relatable but also refreshingly honest. She thrives on the challenge of turning abstract ideas into tangible, captivating visual stories. She’s passionate about making advertising more than just a promotional vehicle; she aims to create experiences that resonate with audiences on a deeper level. Currently, Harr works at New Honor Society, an FCB Company, as a senior art director. In this role, she collaborates with national brands, art directs video and photo shoots, conceptualizes brand campaigns and ensures consistent brand standards across various platforms. She also serves as a mentor to other designers, fostering a safe and productive workspace for all creatives. Harr uses her creative skills to brighten the advertising world with a pop of energy, playfulness and genuine care. She’s excited about the prospect of continuing this journey, crafting engaging experiences for clients and audiences alike.

Bolhofner is the owner and artist behind Olive This Felt. She created her business in 2014 out of a desire to continue making art, while also being a stay-at-home mom. Her responsibilities as an owner include designing and stitching products for her website, tackling commissioned and custom projects, promoting sales, posting on social media, managing emails and customer service, packaging and shipping products and handling book keeping. In addition to the day-to-day runnings of her business, she has taught several workshops at a local art house, as well as created tutorials and patterns for Benzie Design, a major felt and craft distributor. Bolhofner completed her BFA with an emphasis in printmaking and drawing at Murray State in 2009. She has more than nine years of experience as a fiber artist, selling her work around the world and pushing the boundaries of embroidery art. Bolhofner resides in Milford, Ohio, with her husband Derrick, 9-year-old daughter Olive and 6-year-old daughter Hazel.

The Patricia L. Summerville Lecture Series is an endowment to the Department of Art and Design. Summerville graduated from Murray State in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science in Education after attending for only three years. She then earned three additional degrees, including a Master of Science in Education with a major in supervision in 1976 from the University of Akron; a master’s in health administration with a major in hospital administration in 1982 from Xavier University; and a Juris Doctorate from Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University in 1994. She was admitted to the bar the following year. Summerville’s career included teaching art for six years, serving as an administrator for hospitals and healthcare facilities for 20 years and practicing law for five years before retiring in 2003.

All events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Department of Art and Design at 270-809-3784 or msu.art@murraystate.edu.