Opening reception for Senior Art + Design Exhibition is April 26

ASHLAND, Ohio – The opening reception for the Senior Art + Design Exhibition, featuring the capstone experiences for graduating Ashland University art students, will be Tuesday, April 26, from 4:30-6:30 p.m., at the Coburn Art Gallery, located inside the Center for the Arts. This year’s exhibition includes graphic design, illustration, digital art, painting and ceramics, and the senior art awards will be announced at the reception at 5 p.m. The exhibition, which is free and open to the public, runs through Saturday, May 7.

“While the 2022 Senior Art Exhibition provides the capstone experience for graduating art and design majors, it represents more than just students’ studio art experiences,” said Cynthia Petry, director of the Coburn Gallery. “For these students of the liberal arts, the exhibition is the culmination of their undergraduate careers at Ashland University.”

The exhibition’s artists include Joellen Artz, Samantha Carey, Rachel Filichia, Michael Krohn, Nathan Langdon, Kailyn Ritenour, Joel Steiner and Lennard Zarndt.

Artz, from Apple Creek, Ohio, will graduate with a Bachelor in Art Education degree with a concentration in ceramics. While at AU, she worked as a facility manager for Recreation Services and started her own small pottery business. She was also a part of the Christian Ministry, The Well and currently attends and serves at Park Street Brethren Church. After graduation, Artz will work at Vines Bakery in Ashland while also continuing to create pottery and seeking opportunities to teach it.

Carey, who grew up in Howard, Ohio, and now lives in Mansfield, Ohio, is set to graduate with a Bachelor in Art Education degree with a concentration in printmaking and a minor in psychology. She has served as co-president of the art club and earned membership in Psi Chi (psychology honor society) and Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership honor society). She has exhibited in the Juried Student Art Show numerous times as well as in a digital exhibition through Wasmer Gallery at Ursuline College. Carey recently completed her student teaching at Wooster City Schools and is hopeful to find a job teaching art in the north-central Ohio area.

Filichia, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, will graduate with a Bachelor in Art Education degree with a concentration in painting. During her time at AU, she has been involved in multiple clubs, including the art club and the sorority Delta Zeta. She completed her student teaching in the Groveport Madison school district, teaching at both the elementary and high school, and she plans on securing a teaching job in the Columbus area.

Krohn, from Wilmington, Ohio, will graduate with a Bachelor of Commercial Art degree with a concentration in graphic design and a minor in marketing this August. At Ashland, he was part of the group Ideal and the Esports team. Krohn plans to find employment in his hometown or work as a freelance graphic designer.

Langdon, a native of Ashland, Ohio, will graduate with two degrees – a Bachelor in Fine Arts with a concentration in digital art and a Bachelor of Arts in digital media production. He has gained experience as the video and graphics producer for the AUTV 20 television station as well as the graphic designer for the men’s basketball team. He also was an intern at Good Deed Entertainment, where he was a marketing assistant and visual effects artist creating promotional video content for their social media. Langdon is on track to complete his degrees this December and then plans to jump into a design-oriented career.

Ritenour, who was raised in Sullivan, Ohio, and transferred to AU from North Central State College, will graduate with a Bachelor in Fine Arts with a concentration in graphic design and a minor in marketing. At Ashland, she has competed in several marketing-based competitions and earned first-place in the AU Business Idea Competition. This year, she also entered three artworks in the AU Juried Student Art + Design Exhibition. She works part-time as a marketing specialist for Beyond Measure Market and performs freelance graphic design work. Upon graduation, Ritenour hopes to continue to work at Beyond Measure Market and create her own graphic design business, while becoming proficient in computer coding and more active in her church.

Steiner, of Orrville, Ohio, is scheduled to graduate in December with a Bachelor of Arts degree in graphic design. While at AU, he has been a member of the art club and participated in multiple Juried Student Art + Design Exhibitions, taking the title of Best in Show in 2020, as well as the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Symposium. After graduation, Steiner plans on securing a job in graphic design in Columbus, Ohio.

Zarndt, from Griffith, Ind., is set to graduate with a Bachelor of Commercial Art degree with a concentration in graphic design and a minor in studio art. He has been a member of the art club throughout his time at AU and was also a member of the American sign language club during his freshman and sophomore years. As a senior, Zarndt was an intern for the Coburn Art Gallery, providing design and marketing for the gallery with graphics, posters and social media. Following graduation, he hopes to secure a graphic design position in the Chicago area.

The Coburn Gallery is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and noon-4 p.m. on weekends. For more information about the exhibition, call 419-289-5652 or visit the gallery’s Facebook page.

Ashland University is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.