April 19, 2018

Alumna curates Kansas City art exhibit featuring Northwest students

“South by Northwest,” an exhibit curated by Northwest alumna Emily Stark at InterUrban ArtHouse in Overland Park, Kansas, featured artwork produced by Northwest students. (Submitted photo)

Eighteen Northwest Missouri State University art students recently got their work in front of a Kansas City audience, thanks to some help from an alumna who wanted to showcase their talents beyond Maryville.

Emily Stark, who graduated from Northwest in December with her Bachelor of Fine Arts in art with a graphic design emphasis, conceived the exhibit, “South by Northwest,” with Northwest Professor of Art Armin Mühsam to bring the work of Northwest art students to a wider audience, including prospective Northwest students who are contemplating careers in the visual arts.

Stark juried and curated the exhibit, selecting artwork after a call for submissions to Northwest students and recent graduates. The artwork, which included a variety of paintings, sculptures and ceramic pieces, was displayed April 5-8 at InterUrban ArtHouse in Overland Park, Kansas.

“I wasn't looking for anything specific in the entries – just high quality work,” Stark said. “The students really came through and there ended up being over 30 pieces in the show.”

Zoe Green, a Smithville, Missouri native, who is completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting and sculpture at Northwest, was among the students whose art was selected for the show. She exhibited three oil paintings and a pair of clear resin-casted Mary figurines. 

“It was a great experience preparing work and seeing it up,” she said. “At Northwest we are learning how to make art with strong craftsmanship, content and style, and this show helped work on the business and career side of our education.”

The exhibit coincided with the Department of Fine and Performing Arts’ annual juried show, which was staged this year at the Rose Theater in downtown Maryville in collaboration with the Maryville Public Arts Council.

Last fall, Stark completed a mural on the exterior wall of a Maryville business near the downtown square for her senior show. Since her graduation from Northwest, she has begun work at an early childhood development center and continues to pursue her artistic interests. She maintains a connection with InterUrban ArtHouse, where she was an intern last summer, and she plans to work in another mural with an InterUrban artist this summer.