Through paintings, mixed media and deeply personal themes, four graduating Shippensburg University art seniors used their capstone exhibition to examine identity, memory, faith and the uncertainty of change at the Huber Arts Center last Thursday.

They were four of many students who got to show off and potentially sell their artwork they made during their time at Ship while giving some insight to the art and what it means to them.

Drew Weaver said his work focused on liminal spaces, using surreal, empty environments to represent the discomfort of change. “Going through changes can be a little bit nerve-wracking sometimes,” Weaver said. “A great way to depict those changes is to visualize things in my life and put it into a physical form.” 

Weaver said he intentionally removed people from his work to emphasize mood and transition. “I just wanted very liminal, surreal scenes, like pathways,” he said. “Everybody is changing and graduating soon, that’s very nerve-wracking.”

Greg Schultz said his printmaking series began as a reflection of his internal struggles but shifted toward more positive themes. “I originally started my series as a communication with my internal thoughts and my depression,” Schultz said. “But I changed to things that made me happier.” 

He said the work evolved to include subjects from his daily life, including his cat and friends. “It really ended up being about my love for my friends,” Schultz said, describing moments like a spontaneous stop to watch a pickup basketball game during a road trip.

Ally Richwine presented a collection of ceramic pieces, both wheel-thrown and hand-built, which focused on form, color and the way objects interact with a space. “All the ceramics you see on the pedestals are my pieces,” Richwine said. “As you look at my pieces, make sure you take a closer look.”

She said she is interested in how objects shape a room and how viewers experience them. “I love what a piece can bring to a room, both the shape and color,” she said. “I like bubbly and bright.”

Richwine also noted the unpredictability of working with ceramics. “We can plan for days, but it’s going to do what it’s going to do,” she said.

Katelyn Bard said her painting series drew from her upbringing and personal beliefs, using biblical stories as a framework to explore identity. “Being a senior this year, I realized I’ve grown a lot as a person,” Bard said. “I really wanted to think about my individual identity and who I want to be.”

She said the work reflects her past and the values that shaped her. “I thought about my upbringing, my values, my beliefs,” Bard said. “So, in revisiting my past, I created these paintings.”

Professor Kathryn Keely, who led the senior seminar course, said the most significant part of the exhibition was how much the students’ work changed over time. “We heard the initial ideas of the directions they were going in, and then where they ended up,” Keely said. “It’s not necessarily the same thing.”

She said the artistic process often develops through experimentation rather than strict planning. “You have intention, and then you interact with the media and the idea, and then you have a result,” Keely said. “It’s like having a conversation.”

Keely added that students’ willingness to reflect on their own experiences contributed to the depth of the exhibition. “You could tell they were having almost like an inner monologue with themselves.” 

As the exhibition concluded, students emphasized that their work was meant to be shared.

“We truly appreciate your support and are grateful to celebrate this moment together,” Bard wrote in the exhibition materials.

“We made this to be shared, and we’re so glad you’re here to see it,” Richwine added.

Group One’s artwork will be in the Kauffman Gallery until April 10, and Group Two’s exhibition will be from April 13 – 30. Their opening reception will be held on April 23 from 4 – 6 p.m. For more information on upcoming exhibits, visit the Kauffman Gallery’s website.

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