During their time at Ohio Wesleyan University, this year’s graduating Fine Arts majors broadened their horizons by learning new artistic processes and perspectives.
They will reflect those skills in “Kaleidoscope,” a nine-person exhibition on display from April 15 through May 13 at Ohio Wesleyan’s Richard M. Ross Art Museum, 60 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Featuring works juried by OWU Fine Arts faculty, the exhibition will open with a free community reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, April 15, at the museum.
Students taking part in this year’s graduating senior show are:
Lily Good of Van Wert, Ohio. Good is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art, concentrating in drawing and painting. “Art has always been my go-to for bad days, a way to help distract myself from certain moments in my life,” Good said. “It is a way for me to take a break from the world, and also a way to challenge myself. In each piece I create, I strive for it to be better than the last, showing what I learn each time I create.” Good graduated from Van Wert High School. After earning her degree at Ohio Wesleyan, she hopes to work at the Wassenberg Art Center in her hometown and start a business selling her artwork.
Madi Langford of Delaware, Ohio. Langford is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Government and Studio Art. “I am interested in a number of mediums, primarily sculpture, ceramics, and printmaking,” Langford said. “My focus is in ceramics, in particular, as my most rewarding work comes from hand-building through slabs, coils, or hollowed forms. As a student of art, I am drawn to the works of ceramic artist En Iwamura, fashion designer Minju Kim, and (sculptor) Charles Ray, particularly his set of photographs, Plank Piece I and II.” Langford graduated from Olentangy High School. After earning her Ohio Wesleyan degree, Langford plans to spend a year building her portfolio and applying to Master of Fine Arts programs in ceramics.
Katie Lee of Chardon, Ohio. Lee is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Arts with concentrations in painting, drawing, sculpture, and book arts. “My work is fluid across many mediums, including found-object sculpture, casting, book arts, painting, and drawing,” Lee said. “I enjoy pushing my ideas by working in a variety of materials. I love being in the studio because it is a space for play and ideas, where I can work through my thoughts and figure out how to express them in various ways. I’m excited to further my artistic practice after graduation by continuing to try new things and grow as an artist.” Lee graduated from Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin School. After earning her Ohio Wesleyan degree, Lee plans to continue to work on her painting, coach tennis, and prepare to attend graduate school.
Reeve Metcalf of Huntersville, North Carolina. Metcalf is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art, with a concentration in painting. “Along with drawing insight from Victorian and Baroque portraiture in terms of palette, pose, and composition,” Metcalf said, “I specialize in oil painting on a variety of surfaces. The inspiration drawn from the masters comes into play with their historical and mythological paintings and the focus on the human figure. … I find my goal to be the curation of environments: ones that have a fantastical element that could not exist in the physical world and communicate visual unease.” Metcalf graduated from Hopewell High School. After earning her Ohio Wesleyan degree, Metcalf plans to continue working to build her portfolio and explore attending graduate school.
Teddy Mitchell of Darien, Connecticut. Mitchell is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art with a concentration in graphic design. “My photographs are a casual series of architecture, design, and figures in their comfortable environments,” Mitchell said. “I try to capture nature and people in the moment, creating an exquisite and genuine frame, indulging the viewer in my piece as they look for the alluring lighting, shadows, and peculiar shapes that we rarely notice in our everyday lives.” Mitchell graduated from Fairfield College Preparatory School. After earning his Ohio Wesleyan degree, Mitchell intends to pursue a career in landscape design.
Hannah Nelson of Delaware, Ohio. Nelson is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education. “My artwork is based around memories from my life,” Nelson said. “I am particularly drawn to evoke special spaces from my childhood, such as my old house, or my elementary school. The strong emotional connection to each artwork I make is the driving force why I create. Each piece that I work on is in some way translating who I am and how I feel at the time.” Nelson graduated from Olentangy High School. After earning her Ohio Wesleyan degree, Nelson plans to pursue a career teaching high school art.
Caroline Parker of Louisville, Kentucky. Parker is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Studio Art. “Art is my way to express ideas and feelings that I cannot explain with words,” Parker said. “Just as life does not restrict my experiences, I do not restrict my creative process to one medium: I utilize sculpture, ceramics, drawing, painting, and printmaking. My medium changes with my inspiration.” Parker graduated from Francis Parker School of Louisville. After graduating from Ohio Wesleyan, she plans to attend graduate school to study Art Therapy, with a goal of working with special needs children and developing an accessibility program for them.
Caton Williamson of Van Wert, Ohio. Williamson is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Zoology and Studio Art. “The essence of my art over the past four years can be summed up in two words: experimentation and growth,” Williamson said. “My pieces tell the story of my development as an artist. I employ a wide variety of mediums and techniques. My subjects reflect my interests, and I find inspiration from everything around me. … The works I make are an exploration of my mind’s ability to create.” Williamson graduated from Van Wert High School. After earning her Ohio Wesleyan degree, Williamson’s immediate plan is to work as a naturalist for the Columbus Metroparks. Over time, she would like to combine her interests and become a science illustrator.
Adrian Yates of Bexley, Ohio. Yates is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Arts, concentrating in book arts and drawing. “My work explores gender identity, mental illness, grief, belonging, and the liminal space between life and death,” Yates said. “I work in both digital and traditional illustration and figure drawing to create large-scale illustrations, and content for hand-bound books, zines, and comics. I enjoy exploring unconventional means of expression within these mediums.” Yates graduated from Bexley High School. After earning their Ohio Wesleyan degree, Yates plans to become more involved with the CBus Cartoonist Coalition and the Columbus Printed Arts Center and, later, to publish zines and graphic novels.
In addition to the “Kaleidoscope” exhibit, the Ross also will be displaying a gallery of paintings by Ohio Wesleyan professor emeritus Marty Kalb, recipient of a newly announced 2023-2024 Individual Excellence Award from the Ohio Arts Council. A Delaware resident, Kalb taught painting, drawing, and modern art history in OWU’s Department of Fine Arts from 1967 to 2007. Learn more about him and his work at www.martykalb.com.
During the academic year, the Ross Art Museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is handicap-accessible and admission is always free. Call 740-368-3606 or visit www.owu.edu/ross for more information.
Created in 1864, Ohio Wesleyan’s Department of Fine Arts was one of America’s first college art departments. Today, it offers both Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degrees. Learn more about the department, its majors and minors, and its faculty at www.owu.edu/finearts.
Information for this story was provided by Ohio Wesleyan University.
