A public reception and online viewing with the student artists will be held on May 7 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Scheduled are artist talks at 7 p.m. Both exhibition and the reception are free and open to the public. The reception can be attended either in person or online from the Northwest Arts Center’s Facebook Live. Masks and physical distancing are required for in-person attendance.

The show will feature a multitude of media by the students in their areas of emphasis.

Amanda Anderson’s Fragility is an exploration of mental illness and how people create barriers to protect themselves. Anderson portrays this protection with unique paintings of individuals concealed behind bubble wrap. The bubble wrap depicts the protection of one’s mind while the blurred individual illustrates how people might not completely reveal themselves or feelings to the world around them.

“As I build layer upon layer of paint, the work becomes a physical manifestation of the piece’s meaning. I want the viewer to think about if they are viewing it from inside or outside the imagery,” Anderson said.

Submitted Photo Tessia Samuelson, Bryer. Detail. Mixed Media Collage.

Darby Ness will be showcasing a variety of her graphic designs that she has compiled during her years at Minot State.

“As a designer, my goal and purpose are to fulfill the needs of my clients. I find creative solutions to meet my client’s needs to increase trust and value into their brand, and to make sure the brand is consistent throughout all of their marketing materials,” said Ness.

JoHannah Grosz will be presenting a collection of prints that are an exploration of her own belief system and her feelings of uncertainty towards the world over the past year.

“This body of work is an accumulation of different techniques I’ve learned during my education, and explores ideas and feelings I’ve been contemplating over the past few years. I’m excited to show this work alongside the work of my peers,” Grosz said.

Tessia Samuelson’s Behind Closed Doors is a conversation about mental health and keeping your feelings hidden. Samuelson’s collection is composed of collages of the most important people in her life. The message from this compilation is to be kind and check in with your loved ones because you have no idea what is happening behind closed doors.

“Working on such a personal collection of work has been an eye-opening experience. I love watching the pieces progress and change as I continue to work on them. This is a moment in my artistic career that I am really proud of, and can’t wait to see the reaction from others as they interact with the works,” Samuelson said.

Rayson Renfrow has created work that depicts the experience of memory through the process of gum bichromate, a historical photographic process invented in the late 19th century. The repeated layers of pigment in this process allows for a softened and slightly mysterious image, similarly to how one perceives dreams and memories.

“This work is an exploration of how we perceive memory. With each additional layer, the prints become softer and more mysterious. The end result is reminiscent of a partially remembered dream. This collection of prints is the culmination of my four years here at Minot State. I am very excited to show this work, and for the public to see it.,” Renfrow said.

Rhonda Weninger has assembled an art installation which delves into actual narratives and the root cause of divorce. It seemed to Weninger that in every destroyed marriage, there was a moment, action, or behavior that generated a disconnect, thus creating a “point of no return.” Her time capsule inspired works consist of discarded items and storage boxes portray individuals’ stories and memories of their own Point of No Return.

“This collection gives a voice to many who are ‘silenced’ during a divorce while re-examining the usefulness of discarded objects,” Weninger said.