Popcorn bags, board games, scarves, posters and more – the MSU Union Art Gallery’s Women in Design exhibit is not to be missed. And on Friday, November 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. the newest gallery on campus, located on the second floor of the MSU Union, is hosting a reception in honor of its first exhibit and the designers whose work is featured.
Spanning more than 50 years of graphic design expertise, the exhibit showcases the work of 10 Department of Art, Art History and Design alumnae who have graduated as recently as last spring and as far back as 1963.
Jacquelynn Sullivan, Director of Galleries for the Department of Art, Art History and Design, came up with the idea to open a female-based graphic design exhibit as she was preparing for the year’s Visiting Artist + Scholar Lecture Series.
It’s nice to see such a big variety of design work and to experience what some of our alumnae have accomplished.
JACQUELYNN SULLIVAN
“We realized when we were looking at our visiting artist proposals this year that all the graphic designers who had been proposed were women,” Sullivan said.
Besides highlighting alumnae work, the exhibit gives students and the MSU community a chance to explore the many options that exist when working in the field of graphic design.
“I hope visitors see that graphic design doesn’t mean just one thing,” Sullivan said. “It’s nice to see such a big variety of design work and to experience what some of our alumnae have accomplished.”
Two of the designers whose work is in the exhibit include Katherine McCoy and Ellen Bruss.
“They both have gone on to do some pretty exciting things in the design world, in very different ways, so we wanted to find a way to feature them and bring attention to some of our more recent grads, too,” Sullivan said.
McCoy will be giving a talk in the Visiting Artist + Scholar Lecture Series the day before the gallery reception, on Thursday, November 10. Associate Professor of Graphic Design Kelly Salchow MacArthur is sponsoring McCoy’s visit.
“I’m really excited to have her back at MSU. She’s been a leader in design education and I’m anxious for her to see what MSU is doing now,” Salchow MacArthur said. “I’m also excited for our students to be exposed to her knowledge and expertise.”
It is going to be a strong celebration of what the Department of Art, Art History and Design can do.
KELLY SALCHOW MACARTHUR
The alumnae whose work is featured in the Women in Design exhibit include:
- Elise Androkites
- Ashley Brimley
- Ellen Bruss
- Christie Evenson
- Catherine Ishino
- Kate Kimble
- Ashley Kolodziej
- Kelly Mackie
- Katherine McCoy
- Carolyn Staples
The gallery’s reception is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be provided.
“It is going to be a strong celebration of what the Department of Art, Art History and Design can do,” Salchow MacArthur said. “I hope the students are as excited to meet these alumnae as I am.”
Written by Alexandria Drzazgowski, Professional Writing Major
