Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Exhibitions

Spring 2025

May 12- 16, 2025

Kansas State University Department of Art will present the last of three BFA Exhibitions of the spring semester featuring Annika Jackson, Michael Kohler, Brooklyn Linden, and Peter Neeck. The artists will showcase an exhibition of their undergraduate artwork from May 12 through 16, 2025 in the Mark A. Chapman Gallery, first floor of Willard Hall. Gallery hours are 8am – 5pm, Monday through Friday. Please feel free to attend the reception with the artists on Friday evening, May 16, from 5 – 7pm in the gallery. Admission is free and open to the public.

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Painter Annika Jackson from Kansas City, Missouri creates colorful oil paintings on canvas. Her paintings include her and her cat Mira in their shared space with different points of view. Her paintings investigate the relationship between her and Mira and how she feels similar and connected to her cat.

Printmaker/Metalsmith Michael Kohler from Keats, Kansas, retired Army, creates prints using relief and etching and objects using metal forming and casting. Prints and objects often take on geometric or pop culture references but are also inspired by family games and life experiences. He says, “The making of art should not be seeking to be as good as someone you admire but the best yours can be on its own.” Images and objects take on a life of their own; creating form through line work while etching a plate or carving a block and shaping of metal by cutting, molding, and casting don’t always go as intended but often lead to more truth as you work through the changes.

Brooklyn Linden, a metalsmith and jewelry artist from Sterling, Kansas, creates highly textured pieces using lost wax casting and precise wax pen techniques. Inspired by the delicate structures of fish skeletons and the organic beauty of aquatic plants, her work reflects the constant cycle of growth, decay, and renewal in nature. Each piece showcases a harmonious contrast of bold textures and intricate details that explore the beauty and complexity of the natural world.

Peter Neeck, a painter and graphic designer from Topeka, Kansas, makes intimate oil paintings that invite the viewer to accompany him on a voyage through memory. Inspired by magical everyday moments, his energetic brushstrokes portray a melting pot of experiences that encourage the viewer to participate in their own experiential reflections. He says, “My paintings act as a universal scrapbook, regardless of background, uniting diverse viewpoints of the world through a common visual portal in order to rekindle forgotten memories.”

The Mark A. Chapman Gallery on the first floor of Willard Hall, across from the art office, opened in 2005. Cheryl Mellenthin and Mark Chapman funded a complete renovation of the former Willard Hall Gallery, increasing the exhibition space to over 1,400 square feet along with 400 square feet dedicated to exhibition preparation and kitchen facilities. The Department of Art hosts BFA and MFA student exhibitions in the gallery as part of graduation requirements each semester. The technology friendly gallery serves not only exhibition purposes but also provides a location for an active Visiting Artist lecture program.

May 5- 9, 2025

Kansas State University Department of Art will present the second of three BFA Exhibitions of the spring semester featuring Abbey Ackerman, Chloe Carson, Chris Harris, and Olivia Headley. The artists will showcase an exhibition of their undergraduate artwork from May 5 through May 9, 2025 in the Mark A. Chapman Gallery, first floor of Willard Hall. Gallery hours are 8am – 5pm, Monday through Friday. Please feel free to attend the reception with the artists on Friday evening, May 9, from 5 – 7pm in the gallery. Admission is free and open to the public.

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Abbey Ackerman is a sculptor from Lawrence, Kansas, who creates figures from fabric and found and natural objects. Her work personifies the imagination of childhood while incorporating the unusual. The figures embody the idea of individuality and draw from her own experiences growing up. She says, “My work reflects the desire to embrace my differentness and to display it proudly.”

Chloe Carson is a contemporary artist and painter from Manhattan, Kansas. Her work, largely in oil paint, is characterized by bold color, thick texture, and mixed media. Drawing on her lived experiences as a woman in the modern world, Carson creates large, expressionistic, figural work, often incorporating the concept of collage with found materials such as fabric, books, newsprint, and more. She says, “Each painting shows an alternate reality to be investigated.” Her paintings and works on paper invite viewers to experience an exaggerated view of womanhood.

Chris Harris is a ceramicist from Manhattan, Kansas whose work delves into ideas of religion, spirituality, astrology, and meditation as a means of inquiry into the present state of the world and his mind. These means of scientific and spiritual testing lead him to learn more about himself and his place in the world using elements of text, imagery, symbols, and aspects of planetary influence. He says, “Certain truths are found through this process of analyzing conditioned behaviors and beliefs to incorporate new knowledge into his identity.” His works portray concurrent reflection on internal and external influences he has accumulated throughout his life.

Olivia Headley, a photographer from Riley, Kansas, explores the aftermath of college parties and provides an outsider's perspective on the debris left behind. Inspired by the contrast between the chaotic party atmosphere and the absence of people that is found the morning after a big college party, she says, “My work takes a closer look at the vivid picture of the night's activities.” Her photographs show how the party scene looks to outsiders and observes the environment parties create.

The Mark A. Chapman Gallery on the first floor of Willard Hall, across from the art office, opened in 2005. Cheryl Mellenthin and Mark Chapman funded a complete renovation of the former Willard Hall Gallery, increasing the exhibition space to over 1,400 square feet along with 400 square feet dedicated to exhibition preparation and kitchen facilities. The Department of Art hosts BFA and MFA student exhibitions in the gallery as part of graduation requirements each semester. The technology friendly gallery serves not only exhibition purposes but also provides a location for an active Visiting Artist lecture program.

April 28- May 2, 2025

Kansas State University Department of Art will present the first of three BFA Exhibitions of the spring Semester featuring Josh Adee, Jonas Herrera, Augustus Howard, Joseph Hwang, Jack Swearingen, and Logan Zimmerman. The artists will showcase an exhibition of their undergraduate artwork from April 28 through May 2, 2025, in the Mark A. Chapman Gallery, first floor of Willard Hall. Please feel free to attend the reception with the artists on Friday evening, May 2, from 5-7pm in the gallery. Admission is free and open to the public.

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Josh Adee is a photography student from Topeka, Kansas. Using oil paint, digital images, and cyanotype, his work opens a window into his experience of his life with his mother, and life without. These prints allude to themes of death and heaven, and the oil paintings create a sense of what change in one's life can feel like after experiencing loss of a loved one.

Jonas Herrera's photographic work explores the cultural, economic, and racial complexities of Dodge City, Kansas- town quietly responsible for producing a large portion of America's beef. Drawing on personal experience as a first-generation immigrant and returing resident, Jonas blends post-documentary storytelling with intimate visual language to examine the unseen labor and overlooked communities that define the region. Through stark contrasts, layered reflections, and subtle visual metaphors, the work invites the viewers to reconsider how identity, class, and memory shape place. "I am driven by the tension between nostalgia and critique, between memory and truth, between what is photographed and what is left just outside the frame."

Augustus Howard is a photographer from Maryville, Kansas, who makes black-and-white images of ranching and farming communities. His work reflects the lyrics to Uncle Luscious's song "Keep the Wolves Away." His work shows the decay of small family farms and ranches that he grew up loving.

Joseph Hwang is a photographer from Seoul, Korea who photographs the area of Manhattan, Kansas in black and white. His craft derives from him exploring the tension between the familiar chaos of a crowded space and the dull solitude of emptiness. This is shown through his use of filling the frame to evoke the feeling of being in a claustrophobic environment.

Jack Swearingen is a photographer from Olathe, Kansas pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Kansas State University. Working primarily in and around Manhattan, his work details empty environments and discarded litter during the onslaught of winter, photographing subjects digitally and in black and white. He deals with isolation and hte depths of his surroundings, seeking out "what is left behind, what is forgotten, and the ghosts that linger in the aftermath." Focusing on corroded tires, forgotten beer cans, and snow-smothered houses, his photographs explore environmental identity and a consequential sense of strangeness.

Logan Zimmerman is a photographer born in Kansas City, Kansas that photographs the world around him, presenting his direct view on what he sees. Logan hopes to put you directly into his shoes, seeing and hearing the world around him from his perspective. His prints and audio help present how the world looks and sounds to him.

April 17-25, 2025

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The Kansas State University Department of Art will present the Visual Communication Design BFA Exhibition from April 17-25th in the Mark A. Chapman Gallery, in Willard Hall. A reception will be held from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm on Friday, April 25th in the gallery. Events are free and open to the public.

The Mark A. Chapman Gallery on the first floor of Willard Hall, across from the art office, opened in 2005. Cheryl Mellenthin and Mark Chapman funded a complete renovation of the former Willard Hall Gallery, increasing the exhibition space to over 1,400 square feet along with 400 square feet dedicated to exhibition preparation and kitchen facilities. The Department of Art hosts BFA and MFA student exhibitions in the gallery as part of graduation requirements each semester. The technology friendly gallery serves not only exhibition purposes, but also provides a location for an active Visiting Artist lecture program.

Fall 2024

December 9-13, 2024

Kansas State University Department of Art will present the last of two BFA Exhibitions of the fall semester featuring Elizabeth Hutchinson, Jessica Pendleton, Josie Swinford, Madisyn Ward, and Ashlynne Wimberley. The artists will showcase an exhibition of their undergraduate artwork from December 9 through 13, 2024 in the Mark A. Chapman Gallery, first floor of Willard Hall. Gallery hours are 8am – 5pm, Monday through Friday. Please feel free to attend the reception with the artists on Friday evening, December 13, from 5:00 to 7:00pm in the gallery. Admission is free and open to the public.

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Jewelrysmith and Mixed-Media artist Elizabeth Hutchinson is a Kansas-based artisan of whimsy and nature. Her aim in jewelry is to create eclectic and bespoke family heirlooms and engagement pieces inspired by the beauty of nature scenes around her. Illustrating with mixed media, primarily colored pencils, Hutchinson uses her creative spirit to delve into her emotions and create pieces with unseen and personally interpretative meanings. “I like it when there are layers to things. Hidden meanings, cloaked implications, thinly veiled spirits. Like using a flower bouquet to send an unspoken message.” Her mission is to inspire and encourage others to seek overlooked beauties and share what she has found to be beautiful.

Jessica Pendleton, an artist from Manhattan, Kansas, specializes in both traditional drawings and digital art. Taking inspiration from traditionally animated Disney films, her works are born from a desire to tell a unique tale to entertain and intrigue viewers. According to her, “Each image tells its own story. Every piece has its own fantastical narrative. But even though there’s a story in each piece, none are explicitly stated, which allows the viewers to interpret the pieces as they please.”

Jeweler and Printmaker Josie Swinford is from Basehor, Kansas. Her meticulously crafted jewelry springs from her rich imagination, weaving fantastical themes into her work. Her prints, however, are used as her emotional outlet, where she pours her thoughts and emotions into each print. Using her art to weave together her fantastical imagination and innermost emotions allows her audience to resonate with her artistic spirit as well as take on their own meaningful interpretations of her work.

Madisyn Ward, a ceramic artist from Berryton, Kansas, uses a wide variety of colors to create her cheeky and playful pieces. She mostly works on the wheel, throwing vessels to hold imagery of colorful scenes found in nature. She says, “Anthropomorphism has become a large part of the work I create, especially with squirrels.” She brings these squirrels to life with her intricate use of sgraffito.

Printmaker Ashlynne Wimberley of Belton, Missouri, creates both colorful and black and white prints from linoleum blocks and etching plates. Her work represents her family and herself with a twist of using nature and animals to represent them with the help of aquatints, shading, and colors. She says, “One thing that didn’t change is my family dynamic and how I am.” Her prints reveal her love and support from her family using select color choices and different etching processes.

The Mark A. Chapman Gallery on the first floor of Willard Hall, across from the art office, opened in 2005. Cheryl Mellenthin and Mark Chapman funded a complete renovation of the former Willard Hall Gallery, increasing the exhibition space to over 1,400 square feet along with 400 square feet dedicated to exhibition preparation and kitchen facilities. the Department of Art hosts BFA and MFA student exhibitions in the gallery as part of graduation requirements each semester. The technology friendly gallery serves not only exhibition purposes, but also provides a location for an active Visiting Artist lecture program.

December 2- 6, 2024

Kansas State University Department of Art will present the first of two BFA Exhibitions of the Fall semester featuring Ariana Arias and Kai Smith. The artists will showcase an exhibition of their undergraduate artwork from December 2- 6, 2024 in the Mark A. Chapman Gallery, first floor of Willard Hall. Gallery hours are 8am – 5pm, Monday through Friday. All are welcome to attend a reception with the artists on Friday evening, December 6, from 5:00 to 7:00pm in the gallery. Admission is free and open to the public.

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Ceramic and mixed media artist Ariana Arias of California explores themes of identity and cultural heritage as a second-generation Mexican American. Drawing from a rich tapestry of personal historical narratives, [he/she/they] utilize ceramics and painting to address the generational trauma linked to colonization and the violence experienced in their life. They say, “Art, for me, is not only a medium for personal healing, but also a means of connecting past, present, and future.” Through the integration of mixed media, their work reflects the complex interplay between individual experiences and collective memory, revealing layers of pain, healing, and resilience. Grounded in the traditions of craft and form, their ceramics embody physicality, while the fluidity of painting expresses emotional transformation.

Kai Smith is a ceramic artist, printmaker, and graphic designer from Graham, Washington. He is dual majoring, receiving a BFA with concentration in Studio Art with a focus in Ceramics and a BFA in Graphic Design. Kai uses clay and other mixed media applications to create large-scale sculptures of ordinary stationery objects, encompassing feelings of being overwhelmed in the world of academics and the pressures that come with it. He says, “Ever since I was a kid, there was always pressure to succeed academically. It affects me to this day, and I have used these sculptures as a way to work through these emotions and express them to the audience.”

The Mark A. Chapman Gallery on the first floor of Willard Hall, across from the art office, opened in 2005. Cheryl Mellenthin and Mark Chapman funded a complete renovation of the former Willard Hall Gallery, increasing the exhibition space to over 1,400 square feet along with 400 square feet dedicated to exhibition preparation and kitchen facilities. The Department of Art hosts BFA and MFA student exhibitions in the gallery as part of graduation requirements each semester. The technology friendly gallery serves not only exhibition purposes, but also provides a location for an active Visiting Artist lecture program.