BY LAURA KRUG
PHOTOS BY TREVOR PFEIFER
VIDEO BY FHSU Art Department, Aric Zillinger, Tessa Kriss, and Chelsey Augustine
A large crowd gathered to the opening reception of “LIMINAL”, the 16th Annual BFA Graphic Design Exhibition, located in the newly renovated Moss-Thorns and Patricia A. Schmidt Gallery. The gallery space was not only filled with design projects, but also with family, friends, classmates, and professors celebrating the hard work of the design students.
Nineteen graphic design students participated in and planned the exhibition as part of their Professional Development capstone project over a period of 5 weeks. “LIMINAL” is now open for all to view at Moss-Thorns gallery; visit Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM until March 20th.
As part of their learning experience, students put in long hours of organization and planning for the opening night of the exhibition. Karrie Simpson Voth, Art Department Chair and the Professor of Professional Development, divided the students into seven teams to organize the show. Responsibilities included designing the exhibition logo and color scheme, posters, photographing work, an exhibition catalog, a film for the exhibition, show tags, a guest book, fundraising, and the design of the exhibition space.
Students did not hesitate to help other groups for the overall success of the show. Simpson Voth started the tradition of the Graphic Design Exhibition when she first began teaching at FHSU, and it has continued under her guidance for 16 years.
Although the students are classified as seniors in the graphic design program, many are juniors. Four students will be graduating this May: Keegan Davis, Aric Zillinger, Delaney McCaig, and Tessa Kriss.
Kristin Bartlett and Dariane Piper were responsible for creating the logo for the exhibition. An important aspect of the job included taking input from the group overall.
“It was a group effort. Since it is a group show, you must communicate with everyone or else you are left with a lot of disconnected pieces.” Bartlett said.
The 2020 senior class is the first to use the new gallery space for their BFA show.
“There is much more room and ability to change the new gallery space,” Piper said.
The two designers collaborated to create a logo and branding to match the theme liminal, which they see as the transition in life between where you are now to where you would like to be.
“It’s about being in two places at once, and at the same time being in the middle,” Piper said.
Chelsey Augustine, Tessa Kriss, and Aric Zillinger were responsible for creating a 20-minute film for the exhibition. The concept of liminal was is interpreted by the three designers to give the film a sentimental and interesting tone. In the beginning, creative shots are taken around the art building with students walking from point A to point B, and also interacting with an unusual prop, a couch. The piece of furniture is taken on an adventure all around Hays by the art students.
Next, the nineteen students were introduced; then the digital work from the students was presented. Aric Zillinger created animated transitions between segments in the video. Overall, the concept of liminal to Chelsey Augustine is a time in college when you are between leaving home and starting your career.
“Liminal is the space in between. We used the couch that is out of its habitat to give you have a whole new perspective on what liminal is,” Augustine said. Augustine and Kriss plan to attend graduate school in graphic design at FHSU after their graduation in May.
The hard work and dedication of the students paid off in the celebration of their work on Friday night with over a hundred visitors in attendance. Great memories were made by all through the long hours spent in dedication to the graphic design program.