Senior Art + Design Exhibition to run April 4-May 6

ASHLAND, Ohio – The Senior Art + Design Exhibition, featuring the capstone experiences for graduating Ashland University art students, will run from Tuesday, April 4-Saturday, May 6 at the Coburn Art Gallery in the Center for the Arts (331 College Ave.). This Tuesday’s opening features a reception from 4:30-6:30 p.m., with the senior art awards being announced at 5 p.m.

“While the 2023 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.”

This year’s exhibition includes graphic design, illustration, digital art, fibers, painting and ceramics from four senior artists – Mariel Leatherman, Abigail Marchand, Valerie Painter and Sarah Shearer.

Leatherman, from Westfield Center, Ohio, will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in art education (sculpture concentration). She has exhibited at the Juried Student Art Exhibition and was awarded the Dean’s Award and Juror Special Mention. Leatherman has also exhibited multiple artworks at the May Show of the Mansfield Art Center. She interned with the Coburn Art Gallery, the Well, the Massillon Art Museum and Five Stones Community Church. Upon graduation, Leatherman plans to secure a teaching job in the northeast Ohio area.

Marchand, a native of Massillon, Ohio, is scheduled to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, as well as a B.F.A. (graphic design concentration). While at AU, she participated in choir, marching band (color guard) and various community service activities. Marchand’s postgraduation goal is to find a job in graphic design.

Painter, of Broadview Hts., Ohio, is set to graduate with a B.F.A (painting concentration) and a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She was awarded AU’s Permanent Art Collection Award at the 2022 Juried Student Art + Design Exhibition, and conducted a SONA-affiliated psychology research project. In the summer of 2022, she completed an internship with Girl Scouts of Western Ohio as an arts and crafts specialist for their residential summer camp program. Upon graduation, Painter plans to continue her education by working toward a master’s degree in psychology in order to pursue her goal of becoming an art therapist.

Shearer, from Norton, Ohio, will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in commercial art (graphic design concentration) and in business administration (marketing). She has exhibited in the Juried Student Art Exhibition and was awarded the Saville Award for her photograph titled “Construction Zone.” During her time at Ashland, Shearer had the opportunity to build experience from three internships, currently as a graphic design intern at Bendon, Inc. where she assists in designing coloring books, games and puzzles. Following graduation, Shearer hopes to secure a graphic design position in the Ashland 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.