MSU Galleries to host the “Professional Blend XVI” student exhibition through March 24

MURRAY, Ky. – The Murray State University Galleries and the Department of Art and Design are currently presenting the “Professional Blend XVI” student exhibition through March 24 at the Mary Ed Mecoy Hall Gallery on the sixth floor of the Price Doyle Fine Arts building.

The exhibit will feature a variety of mediums and combines artworks created by Murray State Art and Design students currently enrolled in the Art 399 Professional Practices in Art course.

Installing the exhibit is an experiential activity for the students, is designed to encompass all that they are learning in their other courses and amplifies their learning experience at Murray State. The students arrange the layout of the artworks and install the exhibit together to create a public display of their combined efforts. The exhibit features work by 12 students: Beth Bailey of Trenton, Tennessee; Kristian Canada of Paducah, Kentucky; Jayson Coley of Aurora, Illinois; C. Cooper of Dexter, Kentucky; Abigayle Cothran of Prospect, Kentucky; Quinn Derkacy of Paducah, Kentucky; Alexus DeVaul of Bowling Green, Kentucky; Jordan Harrell of Calvert City, Kentucky; Hayley Runyon of Paris, Tennessee; Eve Sexton of Louisville, Kentucky; Kaylee Vanlue of Cadiz, Kentucky; and Virginia Walsh of Kevil, Kentucky.

The Art 399 course is designed to explore the materials, skills, qualifications and strategies necessary for students to begin and sustain a career in art and design. The course orients students around the skill sets they have acquired through their studies. Students engage in experiences and exercises that equip them with an understanding about developing a professional portfolio that includes an articulate artist/design statement, developed resume, artist/design biography, press release, cover letters and documentation of their creative work. This exhibit is a sampling of the assignments given in this course, and incorporating the student directed group experiential activity of presenting this exhibition of their work amplifies the learning experiences in the course and directly connects those assigned to their studio practice.

“I am grateful for the continued support of the Art and Design faculty and staff,” said Murray State Associate Professor and Director of University Galleries T. Michael Martin. “I would like to thank the exhibiting students for loaning their works for this show and recognize the students for their effort on the layout, design and installation of this exhibition.”