Art and Design Events and News

Current exhibitions and events

2026 Department of Art and Design Faculty Exhibition

Members of the Department of Art & Design faculty & staff exhibit their current work. The exhibition features art by Rose Brauner, Israel Davis, Brian Elder, Mustafa Ozcicek, Kris Sanford and Barstow Artist in Residence - Martin Venezky in painting, photography, drawing, graphic design, animation, sculpture and ceramics.

Exhibition Dates: September 11 - October 10, 2026

Opening Reception: September 10, 4-6pm

Recent exhibitions and events

Artist Talk: Martin Venezky

2026 Barstow Artist in Residence Martin Venezky is an artist, photographer, and designer exploring relationships between objects, form, drawing, and the image.

September 2026

Kerfuffle - Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art Spring 2026 Exhibition

This art exhibition showcases the work by CMU Department of Art & Design candidates for the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art: Ike Bolton, Alaina Daniels, Ellie DeBoer, Trynity Green, Cole Haack, Breanna Hoffman, and Claire Kavanagh. The exhibition fulfills part of the requirements for their degree and capstone class taught by Anne Gochenour, Director of University Art Gallery.

April 2026

Growing Pains - 2026 Graphic Design Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition

“Children and young adults today experience an altered childhood due to the rise of technology and decrease in communication - one focused less on exploration and imagination but still cherishing the spark of youth."

This exhibition is done as part of a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and the capstone class taught by David Stairs. The exhibition features collaborative installation work by candidates for the BFA in Graphic Design: Abigayle Bartlett, Michael Carlson, Ayrionna Christian, Angelina Chynoweth, Emma Corbett, Courtney Hanses, Kaylei Harrison, Clayton Hildebrandt, Emma Junga, Jordan Kinney, Veronica Lessing, Sierra Loubert, DeAndre Martin, Gibson Owens, Sarah Piatek, Ava Zaffarano.

March 2026

Stephen L Barstow Art & Design Lecture Series: Morna O'Neill

Morna O'Neill is Professor of Art History at Wake Forest University, where she teaches courses in nineteenth-century European art and design. She is the author of two books, the award-winning Walter Crane: The Arts and Crafts, Painting, and Politics (Yale, 2011) and Hugh Lane: The Art Market and the Art Museum, 1893-1915 (Yale, 2018).

April 2026

2026 Stephen L Barstow Art and Design Lecture - Brenda Baumgarten, Animator for Laika and Stop-mo Puppet Co.

Brenda Baumgarten is a stop-motion puppet fabricator with 25 years of experience solving complex technical challenges in silicone fabrication and materials innovation. She spent eight years at world-renowned Laika Studios, where she contributed to multiple feature films including Missing Link (2019) and the much-anticipated Wildwood, which is releasing to cinemas this Fall.

As Character Project Manager, she played a major role in revolutionizing the studio's puppet-building process through innovative fabrication techniques. She was part of the team that won a 2019 VES Award for Best Animated Character in an Animated Feature Film for their work on Missing Link.

Prior to Laika, she served as Character Fabrication Supervisor on The Little Prince (2015), which grossed nearly $100 million worldwide. The film celebrated a handcrafted aesthetic with its paper-based puppets, demonstrating the creative possibilities of unconventional materials.

Brenda currently operates Stop-mo Puppet Co. just outside Portland, Oregon, where she continues to explore innovative approaches to puppet fabrication and is developing her own original project.

March 2026

2026 Annual Juried CMU Student Art Exhibition

Works in painting, ceramics, animation, sculpture, printmaking, fibers and photography by CMU student artists are featured in the exhibition.

This exhibition is an annual tradition, open to all students at Central Michigan University. Our juror - artist Danielle Owensby - reviewed 166 works by 74 artists and selected 85 pieces by 59 artists.

February 2026

An Evening in Conversation with Photographer and Curator Amanda J. Cain

Amanda J. Cain, currently the Team Photographer for the Detroit Pistons, is a distinguished professional photographer and curator based in Detroit, MI. She made history as the NHL's first Black Female Team Photographer and worked extensively with the NBA. She is a Central Michigan University alumna

This event is made possible with funding from the Stephen L. Barstow Endowmnet and a College of the Arts and Media Wellness, Engagement, and Belonging grant.

February 2026

it takes two (or more), baby

This exhibition examines art communities and the positive impact that they can create through an Afro-Futurist lens. The artists on display include current studio renters, staff, and board members at Hatch: A Hamtramck Art Collective including: Suzanne Bauman, Sarah Cavalieri, Andrew Dall'olmo, Kayce Gifford, Aaron Kaufman, Mike Kelly, Tisch Mikhail Lewis, Andy Malone, Grace Queen, Coral Sifre, and Dawn Smith. to twilight and beyond will be featured in the West Gallery, an installation by Hatch founder and photographer Christopher Schneider. Tisch Mikhail Lewis, also known as T.M. Lewis, is a CMU Alum ('13) and is the co-curator for this show.

January 2026

Artist Talk: Danielle "Deo" Owensby

Danielle Owensby is a photographer and installation artist from Southeast Michigan and the Juror for the 2026 Annual Juried CMU Student Art Exhibit.

February 2026

Artist Talk: Autumn Johnson

Autumn Johnson is the printmaking instructor in the Department of Art and Design for Spring 2026.

February 2026

Connections: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art, Fall 2025 Exhibition

This art exhibition showcases the work by CMU Department of Art & Design studio art candidates for the BFA degree. The BFA candidates are Robin White and Hannah Wormsley. The exhibition fulfills part of the requirements for their degree and capstone class taught by Anne Gochenour, Director of the University Art Gallery.

November 2025

Death Rattles: Works by Charlotte Richardson-Deppe, 2025 Barstow Artist-in-Residence

Barstow Artist-in-Residence, Charlotte Richardson-Deppe is a queer feminist artist working between performance and soft sculpture. She received her MFA in Studio Art from the University of Maryland, College Park, where she teaches drawing, sculpture and photography as a Lecturer in the Department of Art.

November 2025

COLLECTive CONCERNS Collage and Assemblage

Artists explore collage and assemblage as a coping mechanism, siren call, or cautionary warning for collective concerns that impact our culture. Assembled from discarded but highly curated materials, each artist presents a unique collection of works that speak to the challenges posed by unprecedented times.

Works by Judy Bowman, Elaine Crivelli, Kristy Deetz, Virginia Derryberry, Reni Gower, Craig Hill, Errin Ironside, Sue Johnson, Axelle Kieffer, Edwin Shelton, Alexandra N. Sherman, and Michelle Stutts

October 2025

2025 Department of Art & Design Faculty Exhibition

Works by Jeremy Davis, Hannah Duggan, Anne Gochenour, Steve Leeper, Johanna Paas, Annie Peters, Charlotte Richardson-Deppe, and Lavana Shurtliff

August 2025

Beyond the Surface: BAA & BFA Spring 2025 Exhibition

The exhibition features works by 9 graduating seniors in studio art: Shy Barteck. Alex Daniels, Tena Gilbreath, Blue Grant, Amy Henry, Jenn Holscher, Kaitlyn Lipscomb, Riley Robinson, and Taylor Williams. The exhibition fulfills part of the requirements for their degree and capstone class, taught by Anne Gochenour, Director of the University Art Gallery.

April 2025

Collateral: Mass Influence and the Design of Persuasion Graphic Design 2025 Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition

The exhibition is part of a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and the capstone class taught by Clark Most. The exhibition features collaborative installation work by candidates for the BFA in Graphic Design: Amy Adams, Alexandria Chingman, Jaiden Cregger, Joe Ebbs, Bryce Hurd, Ugo Ike, Josiah Kimbler, Victoria Knieper, Isa Kuri, Skky Lawrence, Tegan Perry, Stephanie Phung, Sydney Roesler, Brittany Stevens, and Alexandra Tucker.

April 2025

2025 Annual Juried CMU Student Art Exhibition

The exhibition features 69 works by 53 CMU student artists. The Juror, Trevor Grabill selected the works from 176 entries by 83 artists. Works include sculpture, animation, drawing, printmaking, painting, fibers, and ceramics. An award ceremony will start at 2:30 during the reception for the artists on Saturday. The public is invited to vote for the public choice award through March 21.

March 2025

Searing: Works by the Women's Environmental Photography Collective

From the Collective “In Spring 2020, the Environmental Photography Collective was born out of a desire to create a more inclusive space in the historically androcentric fields of landscape and environmental photography. As artists with a long history as educators, our members have diverse yet overlapping interests that include environmental science, land use, biology, geology, cultural studies, and social justice. The breadth of our interests helps to build connections between cultural producers, community leaders, emerging artists, and scientific researchers, creating new production methods and ways to disseminate our work.”

Members in the exhibition are Marion Belanger, Dana Fritz, Margaret LeJeune, Judy Natal, Martina Shenal, and Terri Warpinski. Martha Willette Lewis is a guest artist with collaborative works with Marion Belanger.

January 2025

Between Two Worlds: BAA & BFA Fall 2024 Exhibition

Bachelor of Applied Arts (BAA) and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art (BFA), Fall 2024 Exhibition" features the works of graduating student/artists Mercedes Pomeranky and Connor Hanna.

November 2024

FRAGILE MOMENTS: Barstow Artist-in-Residence Katie Mongoven

Works by Barstow Artist-in-Residence Katie Mongoven

November 2024

Pushing Fiber

This exhibition features works by artists who are pushing the parameters of art making. The variety of forms, processes, and ideas demonstrate the profound importance of fiber in contemporary art. The artists featured are Denise Whitebread Fanning, Mimi Holmes, Ann Kowaleski, Tom Lundberg, Joey Quiñones and Sally Rose. 

October 2024

Department of Art and Design Faculty Exhibition 2024

Members of the Department of Art & Design faculty & staff exhibit their current work. The exhibition features works by Rose Brauner, Israel Davis, Brian Elder, Ryan Flesher, Katie Mongoven, Kris Sanford, and David Stairs in painting,  photography, drawing, graphic design, fiber,  sculpture, and ceramics. 

September 2024

CMU Animation: Spring 2024 Senior Gallery & Showcase

April 2024

Echoes: Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Applied Arts in Art, Spring 2024 Exhibition

This art exhibition showcases the work by CMU Department of Art & Design candidates for the Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Applied Arts, Studio Art: Madeline Bancroft, Melissa Navarre, Amber Schelling, and Kenna VanAbel. The exhibition fulfills part of the requirements for their degree and capstone class taught by Anne Gochenour, Director of University Art Gallery.

April 2024

walking with lit candles - Works by Margaret LeJeune, Barstow Artist-in-Residence

Margaret LeJeune is the 2023-2024 Barstow Artist-in-Residence. She is an image-maker, curator, and educator originally from Rochester, New York. Anchored in photography, her creative practice marries art, science, and environmental history. Often inspired by a place-based approach, her work focuses on the climate crisis through investigations of wetlands, habitat loss, and the current mass extinction event. She has exhibited her work internationally, including exhibitions in the United States, South Africa, and South Korea. LeJeune has participated in numerous artist residencies and was recently named the 2023 Woman Science Photographer of the Year by the Royal Photographic Society. View her work here: https://www.margaretlejeune.com/

April 2024

Parallels of the Unknown: 2024 Graphic Design Exhibition

Parallels of the Unknown is an exhibition dedicated to the darkest and deepest enigmas facing humanity to date. Ranging from our own selves to nature and beyond. Come explore with us these mysteries and discover for yourself how little we actually know about the world we live in and how much there is yet to discover.

The Graphic Designers in the exhibition are: Donovan Andrews, Emily Bredin, Katelyn Buerkel, Alison Burch, Erin Dougherty, Madelyn Kerbyson, Samuel Kroll, Emily Lage, Amy Mitton, Samuel Ondrias, Nathan Reihl, Jade Riehl, Riley Robinson, Rachel Showers, Dominique Toth, Kaily Wasielewski, Kendyl Wilson.

March 2024

2024 Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition

Juror: Teresa Dunn www.teresa-dunn.com

Included Artists:  Court Annuschat, Emily Bober, Cheyanne Barteck, Skip Bleecker, Jessie Chen, Alaina Daniels, Alexandra Daniels, Ellie DeBoer, Isaac Dunham, Jo Esch, Alondra Garcia, Tena Gilbreath, Brooke Gledhill, Blue Grant, Brea Hoffman, Jennifer Holscher, Sammie Hutter, Alec Johnson, Carly Judit, Victoria Knieper, Dan Marvin, Nico Mendoza, Melissa Navarre, Brad Nelson, Taylor Propp, Jade Riehl, Michael Ritchings, Riley Robinson, Shannon Scharba, Amber Schelling, Helena Schneider, Douglas Sias, Rachel Smith, Cora Wallen, Claudia Waske, Caroline Westfall, Robin White, Taylor Williams, Christina Wollenhaupt, Hannah L. Wormsley.

February 2024

Margaret LeJeune - 2023-2024 Barstow Artist-in-Residence

Margaret LeJeune is the 2023-2024 Barstow Artist-in-Residence. She is an image-maker, curator, and educator originally from Rochester, New York. Anchored in photography, her creative practice marries art, science, and environmental history. Often inspired by a place-based approach, her work focuses on the climate crisis through investigations of wetlands, habitat loss, and the current mass extinction event. She has exhibited her work internationally, including exhibitions in the United States, South Africa, and South Korea. LeJeune has participated in numerous artist residencies and was recently named the 2023 Woman Science Photographer of the Year by the Royal Photographic Society. View her work here: https://www.margaretlejeune.com/

January 2024

Shirley Brauker: Heritage and Legacy

Shirley Brauker was an artist who told stories from her life and her indigenous heritage.  She was a member of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians and a Central Michigan University alumnus.  She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art, a Masters degree in Art, and in 2015 she was the featured commencement speaker and was awarded an honorary PhD from CMU. She also did post-baccalaureate work at IAIA – Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe. In Spring 2013 she was The Olga J. and G. Roland Denison Visiting Professorship of Native American Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. 

Shirley worked in several media: ceramics, beadwork, and drawing.  She stated “I have spent my entire life learning about art and my Native American heritage.  I have combined these two interests into my own unique style of art.  I use images from my cultural background as well as my imagination to create pieces that reflect the way I see the world around me.  Some ideas come from textbooks, others come from stories passed down by my mother, while others are born from my own personal experiences.” 

Sharing her art and heritage was important to Shirley and she was constantly teaching workshops and mentoring young artists.  The exhibition will include works by two of the artists she mentored: Stephanie Jackson (who is also the co-curator of this exhibition) and Aryl Ruffino (her granddaughter).

January 2024

Diverse Duo: Bachelor of Applied Arts in Art, Fall 2023 Exhibition

This art exhibition showcases the work by CMU Department of Art & Design candidates for the BAA in Art degree.  BAA candidates are Andrew Thomas and Mariah Wilson. The exhibition fulfills part of the requirements for their degree and capstone class taught by Anne Gochenour, Director of the University Art Gallery.

December 2023

30th Anniversary Barstow Artist-in-Residence Exhibition

The Barstow Artist-in-Residence Program is 30 years old! This program was made possible by the generous gift of the late Stephen Lawrence Barstow.  Barstow was a prominent architect and civic leader in Midland who believed in the value of art and art education.  His endowment allows the Department of Art and Design to bring in a visiting artist every year. The artists live in the beautiful Barstow designed house on the banks of the Chippewa River.  The gift also provides scholarships for students and funding for the Barstow Speakers Series. The Department of Art & Design has been bringing in Barstow Artists-in-Residence since 1992 and most of them gifted a piece of their art to the Central Michigan University Art Collection. These works will be featured in this exhibition.

December 2023

Artist Talk: Elise Engler

NYC Artist and author of A Diary of the Plague Year, an Illustrated Chronicle of 2020. One of the featured artist in the current exhibition in the University Art Gallery entitled The Artist as Witness. This exhibition features work with a laser focus on conflict and suffering, injustice, and social change. This exhibition comprises works by skilled artists including those trained in the Community Partners in Action Prison Arts Program in Connecticut.

November 2023

Exhibition: Artist as Witness

The Artist as Witness features work with a laser focus on conflict and suffering, injustice, and social change. This exhibition comprises works by skilled artists including those trained in the Community Partners in Action Prison Arts Program in Connecticut. Their witness is rendered in meticulous figuration, with raw emotions of empathy, compassion, and outrage. Included Artists: Elise Engler, Michael Caron, Ryan Carpenter, Nancy Chunn, Sue Coe, Lee Jupina Sr., Käthe Kollwitz, & Michael Reddick.

This exhibition was curated by Julia Wintner, Coordinator of Gallery and Museum Services at Eastern Connecticut State University.

October 2023

Barstow Lecture - Jeffrey Greene - Artists in Prison 

Jeffrey Greene is the Program Manager of the Community Partners in Action Prison Art Program in Connecticut. He has spent the past 32 years establishing and fostering art collectives in Connecticut's prisons, encouraging art-making as a way not only to change artist's lives but also to change the environment in which they live. He asks artists to undertake rigorous endeavors and create work "that only exists because they exist," that transcends typical "prison art," that is not "of the prison," and that helps the artists, themselves, transcend their incarceration.

October 2023

Department of Art and Design: Faculty Exhibition 2023

The exhibition features sculpture by Jeremy Davis, prints by Johanna Paas, painting and ceramics by Hannah Duggan, an installation piece by Anne Gochenour, mixed media and glass by Lavanna Shurtliff and animation and Zoetrope by Steve Leeper.

September 2023

Pardon the Interruption: Spring 2023 Bachelor of Fine Arts & Bachelor of Applied Arts in Studio Arts Exhibition

BFA: Madeline Devantier, Maddie Graham, Chloeana Merchant, Dez Pruiett, & Lindsay Robertson
BAA: Sasha Clemons, Nico Lenz, Aniela Ormanian, Nicolas Weise

April 2023

CMU Animation: Spring 2023 Senior Gallery & Showcase

April 2023

2023 Annual Juried CMU Student Art Exhibition

February 2023

Out of Place: 2023 Graphic Design BFA Exhibition

April 2023

Field Notes: Works by Kenneth Buhler and Ellen Driscoll 

While both artists in Field Notes are deeply inspired and engaged with the botanical world in all its wonder and complexity, their work shows the range of how an artist might consider the plant kingdom - Driscoll with reductive, lush, and warm earth tones and Buhler with poetic, language-inspired color.

January 2023

Danielle Eliska: Capitalize the B in Black

This exhibition includes photography and collage works amplifying Black life and lineage.

February 2023

Jessica Brandl: Visiting Artist

Artist Workshop & Demo

February 2023

In Memoriam

The Department of Art and Design would like to remember our retired faculty members who have passed since 2020. Each one made a huge impact to our community, teaching and inspiring countless students during their time here at CMU. They will be missed.

Tom Bambas - Metalworking 1969-1999
Died Aug. 15, 2023

Vitold Kobisz - Sculpture 1966-2001
Died Jan. 28, 2023

Burt Dickerson - Painting 1965-1985
Died 2022

Earl Nitschke- Printmaking 1960-1995
Died Dec. 2, 2020