Fine Arts Center Gallery
Western Kentucky University
WKU Art Alumni Spotlight
Chris Corneal graduated from WKU in 1997 with a BFA in Graphic Design. He is currently an Associate Professor, Graphic Design in the Department of Art, Art History, and Design at Michigan State University.
After he graduated from WKU, he worked professionally as a graphic designer at an advertising agency in Lexington, KY for two years. From 1997-2002 he was a graduate student at University of Memphis, earning his MFA from University of Memphis in 2002, starting his faculty position in the tenure system at Michigan State University that Fall. He has been a faculty member at Michigan State University ever since, serving as Chairperson of the Department of Art, Art History, and Design 2013 – 2018.
Here’s what Chris said when asked how his degree helped him get to where he is: “I wouldn’t be where I am today without the education in art & design I received from WKU. My BFA degree from WKU made it possible for me to find employment and succeed in the graphic design profession... and then two years later, apply and get accepted to graduate school to eventually earn my terminal degree in graphic design. I now have tenure as a faculty member of graphic design at a prestigious university and I never would have been able to reach this point in my career without the start given to me via my undergraduate education on the Hill. Go Big Red!”
Metra Mitchell received her BFA in Painting with a Minor in Art History from WKU in 2006. She went on to earn her MFA in Painting from Fontbonne University in St. Louis, MO in 2008. She is the Gallery Director and currently teaches Drawing, Figure Drawing, Design, Painting, and Art History at St. Louis Community College and St. Charles Community College for 13 years. She has taught both part-time and full-time positions. She also taught at Maryville University for 8 years and coordinated Summer Study Abroad trips to locations such as Italy, Switzerland and Spain.
Her work is currently represented by Sager Braudis Gallery in Columbia, MO and Houska Gallery in St. Louis, MO. She enjoys figure painting and drawing from the live model and has shown and sold her work through galleries in 17 states and 3 countries.
Her degree and the knowledge she learned at WKU Art Department taught her the value in persistence and dedication to her painting process and to believe in her artistic visions and help assist others in their creative journey.
Here’s some advice for current art students from Metra, “The best advice I can give to any art student would be to express, channel and exercise control over your emotions through your medium. Your deep curiosity about the world gives you a unique vantage point to explore and communicate your experience with others. Fantasy life is fertile ground- so initiate play and find new ways of innovating, solving problems and bridging the gap between the big divides.”
Christina Scott graduated from WKU in 2018 with a BFA in Studio Art. She is currently attending Edinboro University in Pennsylvania working towards her Masters in Counseling in Art Therapy, planning to graduate in 2022.
Her grad program is extremely adamant about maintaining her own personal studio practice in lieu of all of the clinical work so she schedules time to work on her personal works and that’s what kept her in touch with her own art making. She also does painting commissions of families, pets, landscapes, etc. and helps with graphic design works at her day job.
Having a BFA in Studio was a requirement for admission to her graduate program and the admissions board was very pleased to see the array of mediums she had experience with; 3D design, oil painting, drawing, printmaking, canvas building, ceramics, cyanotype, fumage, weaving, etc. Christina says, “I feel so lucky to have been exposed to so many types of mediums with passionate and supportive professors to match. I believe learning how to maintain my own studio practice in the midst of due dates and papers was one of the most important aspects of undergrad. My identity as an artist before all else is something that is imperative and an absolute necessity.”
Here’s Christina’s advice for current art students, “Undergrad is such an important time for us as artists. We develop a community with one another, a support system. Spend more time in your studio. Don’t cut corners with projects. Find what you’re passionate about and let it devour you. Whether that’s a medium or a subject matter or a concept. PORTFOLIO CLASS IS IMPORTANT. Building a website, a CV, and doing mock interviews are so important. You will thank your professors later. Ask questions. Explore yourself through art making. Make friends and build your community, because they are lasting support. Drink lots of coffee, don’t pour acrylic down the sink, and always lock the door behind you when you’re working after hours.”
Kara Williams Glenn graduated from Western Kentucky University in 2011 with a BFA in Graphic Design. She attended graduate school at Full Sail University earning her MFA in Media Design in 2019. She is currently the Professional in Residence and co-director at Imagewest at Western Kentucky University. Recently she worked as a Creative Co-Director of PinexGinja, an event in Accura, Ghana, that merges Ghanaian and Jamaican cultures using music and performance.
Kara said, “At WKU, I learned to take risks and explore new ideas. My professors taught me how to think critically and apply complex ideas to my designs. As much as I have grown over the years, I still think back to the lessons I learned in the WKU Art Department. Every time I cut out a product mock-up with an exacto-knife, I thank Kristina Arnold's 3-D design class. Every time I storyboard an animation, I thank Joon Sung's Time-Based Media class. I wouldn't be where I am today without the WKU Art Department.”
Rosemary (Swain) Brunton graduated from WKU in 2004 with her BFA in Ceramics. She is an educator for museums and non-profits, residing in rural Tennessee with her husband and daughter where they make time to play in the mud and make their own pottery. She has currently taken a new role with Nashville Public Television (NPT) as the Community Engagement Manager. In this role, she provides resources for families utilizing the national PBSKids platform to hosting local film screenings, highlighting arts and issues with the greater community and she is looking forward to producing a few arts segments for NPT in the future.
Prior to switching over to the media industry, Rosemary worked for the Frist Art Museum in Nashville for over 12 years. During her time there, she curated and developed educational outreach programs for the public. As an art educator, she was tasked to develop pathways for inclusion for what was seemingly “art gallery only” crowds to break down barriers for people of all ages and backgrounds to feel connected to art. This mission led her team in the creation of two time Emmy Award winning tv spots for “Art Is All Around You” to fully orchestrated symphony performances collaborating with hundreds of artists like Nick Cave and more!
During her time at Western she was able to develop a foundational network of friends that aided in her broader understanding that “art” is everywhere. After graduation she was able to work for various art institutions that expanded her network and skill set. Rosemary says, “Thanks to the ongoing support of WKU faculty throughout the years, I did this (career) by applying for many internships including the former Capitol Arts Alliance in BG to an artist in residence winter at Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts in Maine and all the way to finding my way to Nashville via Vanderbilt University’s Department of Studio Art. Through valuable lessons learned and heartfelt relationships have been able to grow my own understanding of “what art is” and to stay open to the absolute value of varied experiences have with art and what comes for each of us when it comes to expressing thoughts in a visual medium.”
Andrew Williams graduated from Western Kentucky University in 2007 earning his BFA in Graphic Design and Ceramics. He received his MFA in Ceramics from University of Memphis in 2012. He is currently a High School art teacher in Memphis, TN. Andrew has worked at Starbucks, taught college and high school, and recently became the father of two girls. He makes it a point to create new ceramic parts every 6 months and to try and do at least one show a year. His degree gave him the knowledge and body of work to further his education where he was afforded the opportunity and connections to teach on all levels.
Here’s some advice for current art students from Andrew, “Force yourself to create. It doesn’t matter what you’re making, if you are creating, the good work will begin to make itself. Research and inspiration comes from everywhere, also be aware. Don’t get discouraged by rejection, a piece can be rejected for many reasons and most of them have nothing to do with an individual work. Sometimes you just have to enter the right piece for the right show.”
Nicholas J. Smith graduated from WKU in 2017 with a BFA in Painting. He is currently an AV Programmer/Installer for CED Inc. in Louisville, KY. He travels throughout the country to various museums and cultural centers, helping design, integrate, and maintain advanced audio-visual systems, including interactive LED lighting, projection blending, interactive touch screen apps, and other audio-visual installations.
His creative arts degree is incredibly versatile and the perspectives and collaborative experience students are exposed to are immeasurably valuable in most careers. The museum industry requires this exposure even more so though, as it deals with many of the same problems art students deal with, like time parameters for project goals, and the physical creation of art and installations for the enjoyment of an audience.
Here’s his advice for current art students, “Focus on finding balance between work load and exploration in your careers. Working hard pays off, but there is no point unless you stay curious.”
Sara Beth Truman graduated from WKU in 2007 with her BFA in Ceramics and Painting. She currently resides in Gainesville, Florida, with her wife and 9 month old daughter, Hazel. She is the Ceramics Instructor at Gainesville High School and own Studio T/M Pottery and Clay.
After she graduated from WKU, she attended the University of Florida for a year as a post baccalaureate student in Ceramics to prepare her application for graduate school. From there, she was accepted to the University of Mississippi where she received her Master’s in Ceramics in 2012. After two artist residencies (Odyssey Clayworks in Asheville, NC and the LUX Center for the Arts in Lincoln, NE) and one-year sabbatical replacement at Florida Gulf Coast University, she followed her wife back to Gainesville in 2014 so she could attend UF for her doctorate. She began teaching high school ceramics and has continued to build her school’s ceramic program while creating and maintaining her own ceramics studio- Studio T/M Pottery & Clay. Some of her high school students have been accepted into the top clay programs in the country. Studio T/M offers one-year assistantships to recent college grads who are learning to be professional artists, which includes teaching opportunities as well as career mentorship.
Her degree from WKU has influenced her style of teaching, studio practice, and her continued professional involvement in the field of ceramics.
Sara says, “WKU faculty lead by example, working in the studio to maintain their studio practice and actively exhibiting nationally and internationally. I have often referred back to their wisdom when applying for the next step in my career. When I was choosing an MFA program, deciding which jobs to apply to and/or accept, or debating the next step in my career, the WKU faculty have been there to guide me. They are there to celebrate both my career and life successes. Their actions have taught me to treat my students the same way. It’s important to me that I am there to support my students through their career choices at every step and stage. I approach K-12 education from a studio artist’s perspective, which has greatly impacted how I manage my classroom and how I interact with my colleagues. My advice to current WKU art students is to absorb as much as you can while you have the privilege to be in this vibrant, dynamic environment; lead by example and remember that for every student already ahead of you, there are two more behind, watching and learning from you.”